What books are similar to Secrets of the Mummies?

The 10 closest matches to Secrets of the Mummies by Shelley Tanaka on ReadingList include Weslandia, Basket, Bob and Jack: A Boy and His Yak, Christopher Changes His Name, and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. Each is scored on shared themes (mummies, antiquities, and civilization), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–5), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Secrets of the Mummies reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–5), 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 Secrets of the Mummies

If you liked Secrets of the Mummies, read Weslandia, Basket, or Bob and Jack: A Boy and His Yak — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Secrets of the Mummies by Shelley Tanaka (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–5)? It’s most often read for its themes of mummies, antiquities, and civilization. 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 3–5 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Weslandiagrades 3–8: Shares themes of civilization, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Basketgrades K–3: Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Bob and Jack: A Boy and His Yakgrades 4–8: Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Christopher Changes His Namegrades 4–8: Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Lilly's Purple Plastic Pursegrades K–3: Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore!grades K–3: Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
The Cow Who Wouldn't Come Downgrades K–3: Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
The Hero of Bremengrades 4–8: Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Albertgrades 3–5: Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Avalon Highgrades 3–5: Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Secrets of the Mummies for younger readers (K–2)

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

Don't Need Friends by Carolyn Crimi · grades K–2 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).
Chalk by Bill Thomson · grades K–2 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Chez Bob by Bob Shea · grades K–2 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Cookiesaurus Rex by Amy Fellner Dominy · grades K–0 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Dogku by Andrew Clements · grades K–2 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Secrets of the Mummies for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes · grades 5–8 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Call Me Hope by Gretchen Olson · grades 3–5 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5).
Class Clown by Johanna Hurwitz · grades 3–5 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5).
Duke by Kirby Larson · grades 3–5 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5).
Ghost by Jason Reynolds · 730L — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).

Books like Secrets of the Mummies for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes · grades 5–8 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Ghost by Jason Reynolds · 730L — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Rules by Cynthia Lord · grades 4–7 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Scranimals by Jack Prelutsky · grades 3–6 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
So B. It by Sarah Weeks · grades 5–8 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).

Books like Secrets of the Mummies for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Five Survive by Holly Jackson · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
I am the Weapon by Allen Zadoff · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys · grades 9–12 — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Common questions

What books are similar to Secrets of the Mummies?: The 10 closest matches to Secrets of the Mummies by Shelley Tanaka on ReadingList include Weslandia, Basket, Bob and Jack: A Boy and His Yak, Christopher Changes His Name, and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. Each is scored on shared themes (mummies, antiquities, and civilization), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–5), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Secrets of the Mummies reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–5), 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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