Books like Small Steps

If you liked Small Steps, read The Ghost's Grave, Ghost Dog Secrets, or Mick Harte Was Here — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Closest match: The Ghost's Grave by Peg Kehret

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Looking for books like Small Steps by Peg Kehret (Children's · grades 4–10)? 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 4–10 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Small Steps

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Why each is a match

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The Ghost's Gravegrades 3–8
Is by Peg Kehret, the same author, both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Ghost Dog Secretsgrades 6–8
Is by Peg Kehret, the same author and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Mick Harte Was Heregrades 5–8
Both on the Vermont Golden Dome Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (1990s). Amazon → books like this →
The War with Grandpagrades 4–7
Both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Holes660L
Both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (1990s). Amazon → books like this →
Maniac Magee820L
Both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (1990s). Amazon → books like this →
Hatchet1020L
Both on the Vermont Golden Dome Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Refugee800L
Both on the Vermont Golden Dome Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (5–9). Amazon → books like this →
Smile410L
Both on the Vermont Golden Dome Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Hunger Games810L
Both on the Vermont Golden Dome Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →

More like this

Same grade band, chosen by theme and by how many reading lists carry them. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Show 12 more

Books like Small Steps for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Horror at the Haunted House by Peg Kehret · grades 4–6 — Is by Peg Kehret, the same author, both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
  • Abduction by Peg Kehret · grades 3–6 — Is by Peg Kehret, the same author, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
  • Runaway Twin by Peg Kehret · grades 4–6 — Is by Peg Kehret, the same author, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
  • Stolen Children by Peg Kehret · grades 4–6 — Is by Peg Kehret, the same author, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
  • Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman · grades 4–9 — Both on the Golden Kite Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon →

Books like Small Steps for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Horror at the Haunted House by Peg Kehret · grades 4–6 — Is by Peg Kehret, the same author, both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
  • Abduction by Peg Kehret · grades 3–6 — Is by Peg Kehret, the same author, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
  • Runaway Twin by Peg Kehret · grades 4–6 — Is by Peg Kehret, the same author, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
  • Stolen Children by Peg Kehret · grades 4–6 — Is by Peg Kehret, the same author, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
  • Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman · grades 4–9 — Both on the Golden Kite Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon →

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

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

  • Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman · grades 4–9 — Both on the Golden Kite Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon →
  • Franklin Delano Roosevelt by Russell Freedman · grades 4–10 — Both on the Golden Kite Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon →
  • Kids at Work by Russell Freedman · grades 4–10 — Both on the Golden Kite Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon →
  • Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff · grades 4–9 — Both on the Golden Kite Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon →
  • Martha Graham by Russell Freedman · grades 4–10 — Both on the Golden Kite Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon →

Common questions

What books are similar to Small Steps?
The 10 closest matches to Small Steps by Peg Kehret on ReadingList include The Ghost's Grave, Ghost Dog Secrets, Mick Harte Was Here, The War with Grandpa, and Holes. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–10), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Small Steps reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–10), 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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