What books are similar to Running Out of Time?

The 10 closest matches to Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix on ReadingList include Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey, Ella Enchanted, The Mysterious Matter of I. M. Fine, A Deadly Game of Magic, and Among the Hidden. Each is scored on shared themes (adventure and adventurers, fiction, diphtheria, and mystery and detective stories), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Running Out of Time reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–8), so the picks stay grade-appropriate. See how ReadingList judges text difficulty on the /standard methodology page.

How does ReadingList choose similar books?

Matches are ranked by shared themes, shared award and reading-program lists (two books picked for the same state award were chosen by the same committees for the same readers), same genre, comparable Lexile and grade band, and publication decade — computed from cited public curriculum data, not editorial opinion or AI-generated summaries.

Books like Running Out of Time

If you liked Running Out of Time, read Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey, Ella Enchanted, or The Mysterious Matter of I. M. Fine — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Fantasy · grades 3–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of adventure and adventurers, fiction, diphtheria, and mystery and detective stories. The 10 titles below are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level, and each linked to the curricula, states, and grades where it’s assigned, with primary sources.

These are reading-level matches, not just topical ones — so the picks stay grade-appropriate for a grades 3–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphreygrades 6–9: Is by Margaret Peterson Haddix, the same author, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Ella Enchantedgrades 4–7: Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
The Mysterious Matter of I. M. Finegrades 3–5: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Fantasy). Amazon → books like this →
A Deadly Game of Magicgrades 6–8: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Among the Hiddengrades 5–8: Is by Margaret Peterson Haddix, the same author, overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (1990s). Amazon → books like this →
Ghosts Don't Get Goose Bumpsgrades 3–5: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatchergrades 4–6: Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Nightmare Mountaingrades 3–6: Shares themes of adventure and adventurers, fiction and mystery and detective stories and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Stranger with My Facegrades 6–8: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Name of the Game Was Murdergrades 3–8: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Running Out of Time for younger readers (K–2)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps K–2— same scoring, different audience.

Trouble with Trolls by Jan Brett · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Enchanted Wood by Ruth Sanderson · grades K–3 — Same genre (Fantasy), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (1990s).
Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky · grades 1–4 — Same genre (Fantasy), overlapping grades (1–4), and the same era (1990s).
A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon · grades 2–8 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (1990s).
Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin · grades K–3 — Same genre (Fantasy) and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like Running Out of Time for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 3–5— same scoring, different audience.

Trouble with Trolls by Jan Brett · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (K–3).
A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz · grades 4–7 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–7).
A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of adventure and adventurers, fiction, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6).
Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, and overlapping grades (3–8).
Holes by Louis Sachar · 660L — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (1990s).

Books like Running Out of Time for middle school (grades 6–8)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 6–8— same scoring, different audience.

A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz · grades 4–7 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–7).
A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of adventure and adventurers, fiction, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6).
Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, and overlapping grades (3–8).
Eragon by Christopher Paolini · grades 6–9 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Holes by Louis Sachar · 660L — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (1990s).

Books like Running Out of Time for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 9–12— same scoring, different audience.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini · grades 6–9 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list.
Lore by Alexandra Bracken · grades 9–12 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and same genre (Fantasy).
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list.
The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list.

Common questions

What books are similar to Running Out of Time?: The 10 closest matches to Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix on ReadingList include Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey, Ella Enchanted, The Mysterious Matter of I. M. Fine, A Deadly Game of Magic, and Among the Hidden. Each is scored on shared themes (adventure and adventurers, fiction, diphtheria, and mystery and detective stories), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Running Out of Time reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–8), so the picks stay grade-appropriate. See how ReadingList judges text difficulty on the /standard methodology page.
How does ReadingList choose similar books?: Matches are ranked by shared themes, shared award and reading-program lists (two books picked for the same state award were chosen by the same committees for the same readers), same genre, comparable Lexile and grade band, and publication decade — computed from cited public curriculum data, not editorial opinion or AI-generated summaries.

Book data last updated 2026-09-05. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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