Books like Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe

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 titlesbelow are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, 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.

10 books similar to Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe

Get the whole similar-books list in one click

Adds the 10 books with Amazon listings to your cart — keep what you need, remove the rest. Prime shipping where available.

Add 10 to Amazon cart

As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Prices + availability shown on Amazon.

Why each is a match

A Long Walk to Water720L
Shares themes of survival and perseverance and overlapping grades (5–8).
The Wild Robot740L
Shares themes of survival and nature and overlapping grades (4–6).
Dogtowngrades 3–6
Shares themes of perseverance, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Hatchet1020L
Shares themes of survival and nature and overlapping grades (5–8).
Island of the Blue Dolphins1000L
Shares themes of survival and nature and overlapping grades (4–7).
Walk Two Moons770L
Shares themes of grief, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–7).
Where the Red Fern Grows700L
Shares themes of grief and perseverance and overlapping grades (4–7).
Front Desk640L
Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (3–7), and the same era (2010s).
Ghost730L
Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2010s).
Ghost Boys360L
Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s).

← Back to Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe