What books are similar to Stargirl?

The 10 closest matches to Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli on ReadingList include Mick Harte Was Here, Orbiting Jupiter, Shiloh, The Girl Who Could Fly, and Zen and the Art of Faking It. Each is scored on shared themes (individuality, conformity, and first love), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Stargirl reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–9), 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 Stargirl

If you liked Stargirl, read Mick Harte Was Here, Orbiting Jupiter, or Shiloh — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (Realistic Fiction · grades 6–9)? It’s most often read for its themes of individuality, conformity, and first love. 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 6–9 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Mick Harte Was Heregrades 5–8: Both on the Charlotte Award list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
Orbiting Jupitergrades 7–10: Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10). Amazon →
Shiloh890L: Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
The Girl Who Could Flygrades 4–6: Shares themes of individuality, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Zen and the Art of Faking Itgrades 2–8: Shares themes of individuality, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon →
A Wrinkle in Time740L: Shares themes of individuality and conformity and overlapping grades (5–7). Amazon →
Forged by Firegrades 7–10: Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10). Amazon →
Schooledgrades 3–8: Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
So B. Itgrades 5–8: Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
The Gollywhopper Gamesgrades 3–8: Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →

Books like Stargirl 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 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2000s).
Say What? by Margaret Peterson Haddix · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2000s).
Star in the Storm by Joan Hiatt Harlow · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2000s).
Togo by Robert J. Blake · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2000s).
When the Wolves Returned by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2000s).

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

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

A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold · grades 3–5 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Backlash by Sarah Darer Littman · grades 3–8 — Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo · 610L — Both on the Charlotte Award list (+1 more shared list) and the same era (2000s).
Drive-By by Lynne Ewing · grades 3–8 — Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz · grades 3–8 — Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).

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

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

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).
Backlash by Sarah Darer Littman · grades 3–8 — Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Drive-By by Lynne Ewing · grades 3–8 — Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz · grades 3–8 — Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).

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

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

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Romiette and Julio by Sharon M. Draper · grades 7–10 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins · 810L — Both on the Charlotte Award list (+2 more shared lists), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2000s).
Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (5–9).

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

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