Books like Sidekicks

If you liked Sidekicks, read Crush, Giants Beware, or All's Faire in Middle School — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Sidekicks by Dan Santat (Graphic Novel · grades 4–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of graphic novels, superheroes, and pets. 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 4–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Sidekicks

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Why each is a match

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Crushgrades 4–8
Shares themes of graphic novels and comic books, strips, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Graphic Novel). Amazon → books like this →
Giants Bewaregrades 3–5
Shares themes of graphic novels and comic books, strips, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
All's Faire in Middle Schoolgrades 4–8
Shares themes of graphic novels, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Graphic Novel). Amazon → books like this →
The Witch Boygrades 4–8
Shares themes of comic books, strips, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Graphic Novel). Amazon → books like this →
Twinsgrades 4–6
Shares themes of comic books, strips, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Graphic Novel). Amazon → books like this →
Allergicgrades 4–6
Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Real Friendsgrades 2–8
Shares themes of graphic novels, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Cardboard Kingdomgrades 4–6
Shares themes of graphic novels, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Great Pet Escapegrades 3–8
Shares themes of pets, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Coralinegrades 3–5
Shares themes of graphic novels, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Sidekicks for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Are You Scared, Darth Vader? by Adam Rex · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and the same era (2010s).
  • Best Frints in the Whole Universe by Antoinette Portis · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and the same era (2010s).
  • Bone by Jeff Smith · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Graphic Novel) and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Cat Secrets by Jef Czekaj · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and the same era (2010s).
  • Chester by Mélanie Watt · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and the same era (2010s).

Books like Sidekicks for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Are You Scared, Darth Vader? by Adam Rex · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and the same era (2010s).
  • Sisters by Raina Telgemeier · grades 4–6 — Both on the Rhode Island Children's Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Sparks! by Ian Boothby · grades 4–8 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm · grades 3–6 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • El Deafo by Cece Bell · 420L — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (2010s).

Books like Sidekicks for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Sisters by Raina Telgemeier · grades 4–6 — Both on the Rhode Island Children's Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Sparks! by Ian Boothby · grades 4–8 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm · grades 3–6 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • El Deafo by Cece Bell · 420L — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (2010s).
  • Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein · grades 4–6 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (2010s).

Books like Sidekicks for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy by Faith Erin Hicks · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of graphic novels, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Graphic Novel).
  • Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of graphic novels and same genre (Graphic Novel).
  • Twilight by Stephenie Meyer · grades 9–12 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and same genre (Graphic Novel).
  • Drama by Raina Telgemeier · grades 5–9 — Same genre (Graphic Novel), overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (2010s).
  • Allies by Alan Gratz · grades 5–9 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (2010s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Sidekicks?
The 10 closest matches to Sidekicks by Dan Santat on ReadingList include Crush, Giants Beware, All's Faire in Middle School, The Witch Boy, and Twins. Each is scored on shared themes (graphic novels, superheroes, and pets), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Sidekicks reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–8), 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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