Books like Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream

If you liked Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream, read Dewey: There’s a Cat in the Library! or The Magic School Bus: At the Waterworks — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream by Deloris Jordan (Nonfiction · grades K–3)? 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 K–3 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream

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Why each is a match

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Dewey: There’s a Cat in the Library!grades K–3
Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Nonfiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
The Magic School Bus: At the Waterworksgrades K–3
Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Nonfiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
A Friend for Lakota: The Incredible True Story of a Wolf Who Braved Bullyinggrades K–3
Same genre (Nonfiction) and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
A Handful of Starsgrades 3–8
Same genre (Nonfiction) and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Because of Winn-Dixie610L
Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, overlapping grades (3–5), and the same era (2000s). Amazon → books like this →
Bedheadgrades K–3
Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2000s). Amazon → books like this →
Bunniculagrades 3–6
Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, overlapping grades (3–6), and the same era (2000s). Amazon → books like this →
Closed for the Seasongrades 3–8
Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, overlapping grades (3–8), and the same era (2000s). Amazon → books like this →
Destiny Finds Her Way: How a Rescued Baby Sloth Learned to Be Wildgrades 3–6
Same genre (Nonfiction) and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Evidence! How Dr. John Snow Solved the Mystery of Choleragrades 3–6
Same genre (Nonfiction) and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Good Dog by Maya Gottfried · grades K–3 — Same genre (Nonfiction) and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • Honey, the Dog Who Saved Abe Lincoln by Shari Swanson · grades K–2 — Same genre (Nonfiction) and overlapping grades (K–2).
  • I'm Trying to Love Spiders by Bethany Barton · grades K–2 — Same genre (Nonfiction) and overlapping grades (K–2).
  • If I Built a Car by Chris Van Dusen · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2000s).
  • My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (2000s).

Books like Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Books like Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Books like Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Bonnie and Clyde: The Making of a Legend by Karen Blumenthal · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Nonfiction).
  • High Heat by Carl Deuker · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list and the same era (2000s).
  • Mississippi Trial, 1955 by Chris Crowe · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list and the same era (2000s).
  • Murder Among Friends by Candace Fleming · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Nonfiction).
  • Night Hoops by Carl Deuker · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list and the same era (2000s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream?
The 10 closest matches to Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream by Deloris Jordan on ReadingList include Dewey: There’s a Cat in the Library!, The Magic School Bus: At the Waterworks, A Friend for Lakota: The Incredible True Story of a Wolf Who Braved Bullying, A Handful of Stars, and Because of Winn-Dixie. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades K–3), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades K–3), 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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