Books like Something Upstairs

If you liked Something Upstairs, read The Dollhouse Murders, Christina's Ghost, or The Good Dog — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Something Upstairs by Avi (Mystery · grades 6–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of ghost stories, ghosts, and slavery. 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 6–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Something Upstairs

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Why each is a match

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The Dollhouse Murdersgrades 4–7
Shares themes of ghosts, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Mystery). Amazon → books like this →
Christina's Ghostgrades 4–6
Shares themes of ghosts, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Good Doggrades 3–6
Is by Avi, the same author, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Fighting Groundgrades 4–8
Is by Avi, the same author, overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (1980s). Amazon → books like this →
The Ghost of Fossil Glengrades 3–8
Shares themes of ghost stories and ghosts and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Ghost on Saturday Nightgrades 4–6
Shares themes of ghost stories and ghosts and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Ghost's Gravegrades 3–8
Shares themes of ghost stories and ghosts and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Hauntinggrades 6–9
Shares themes of ghosts, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
The Other Side of Darkgrades 6–8
Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Stalkergrades 6–8
Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Something Upstairs for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • In a Dark, Dark Room by Alvin Schwartz · grades K–3 — Same genre (Mystery) and the same era (1980s).
  • Piggins by Jane Yolen · grades K–3 — Same genre (Mystery) and the same era (1980s).
  • Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick · grades K–3 — Same genre (Mystery).
  • Bagdad Ate It by Phyllis Green · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and the same era (1980s).
  • Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Mystery) and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Something Upstairs for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • A Haunting in Williamsburg by Lou Kassem · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of ghost stories and ghosts and same genre (Mystery).
  • Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of slavery, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Mystery at the Club Sandwich by Doug Cushman · grades 3–8 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • Scared Stiff by Willo Davis Roberts · grades 3–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac · grades 3–8 — Both on the Rhode Island Children's Book Award list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8).

Books like Something Upstairs for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • There's a Dead Person Following My Sister Around by Vivian Vande Velde · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of ghosts and slavery and overlapping grades (6–8).
  • Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of slavery, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Mystery at the Club Sandwich by Doug Cushman · grades 3–8 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • Scared Stiff by Willo Davis Roberts · grades 3–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac · grades 3–8 — Both on the Rhode Island Children's Book Award list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8).

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

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

  • Sold by Patricia McCormick · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of slavery and both on the California Young Reader Medal list.
  • The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Mystery).
  • The Man in the Woods by Rosemary Wells · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Mystery) and the same era (1980s).
  • Whispers from the Dead by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Mystery), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (1980s).
  • A Sudden Silence by Eve Bunting · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and the same era (1980s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Something Upstairs?
The 10 closest matches to Something Upstairs by Avi on ReadingList include The Dollhouse Murders, Christina's Ghost, The Good Dog, The Fighting Ground, and The Ghost of Fossil Glen. Each is scored on shared themes (ghost stories, ghosts, and slavery), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Something Upstairs reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–8), 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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