What books are similar to Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe?

The 10 closest matches to Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe by Jo Watson Hackl on ReadingList include Touching Spirit Bear, A Long Walk to Water, Mick Harte Was Here, Pie in the Sky, and The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise. Each is scored on shared themes (survival, grief, and nature), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–7), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–7), 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 Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe

If you liked Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, read Touching Spirit Bear, A Long Walk to Water, or Mick Harte Was Here — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Looking for books like Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe by Jo Watson Hackl (Realistic Fiction · grades 4–7)? It’s most often read for its themes of survival, grief, and nature. 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 4–7 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Touching Spirit Beargrades 6–9: Shares themes of survival and nature, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon →
A Long Walk to Water720L: Shares themes of survival and perseverance and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
Mick Harte Was Heregrades 5–8: Shares themes of grief, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
Pie in the Skygrades 3–6: Shares themes of grief, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrisegrades 5–8: Shares themes of grief, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
The Wild Robot740L: Shares themes of survival and nature and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Dear Mr. Henshawgrades 4–6: Shares themes of grief, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Dogtowngrades 3–6: Shares themes of perseverance, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
Front Desk640L: Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
Globalgrades 6–8: Shares themes of nature and perseverance and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon →

Books like Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe for younger readers (K–2)

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

Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of nature, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2010s).
Here Comes the Garbage Barge by Jonah Winter · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2010s).
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 by Lauren Tarshis · 590L — Shares themes of survival and overlapping grades (2–5).
Lulu's Mysterious Mission by Judith Viorst · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2010s).

Books like Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen · 1020L — Shares themes of survival and nature and overlapping grades (5–8).
Hope in the Valley by Mitali Perkins · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of grief, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of nature, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell · 1000L — Shares themes of survival and nature and overlapping grades (4–7).
Mountain of Fire: The Eruption and Survivors of Mount St. Helens by Rebecca E. Barone · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of survival and nature and overlapping grades (4–8).

Books like Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen · 1020L — Shares themes of survival and nature and overlapping grades (5–8).
Hope in the Valley by Mitali Perkins · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of grief, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of nature, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell · 1000L — Shares themes of survival and nature and overlapping grades (4–7).
Mountain of Fire: The Eruption and Survivors of Mount St. Helens by Rebecca E. Barone · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of survival and nature and overlapping grades (4–8).

Books like Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Ruby Lost and Found by Christina Li · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of grief, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway · 940L — Shares themes of nature and perseverance.
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2010s).
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds · 720L — Shares themes of grief and overlapping grades (7–12).
Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt · grades 7–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (7–10), and the same era (2010s).

Book data last updated 2026-07-07. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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