What books are similar to Tangerine?

The 10 closest matches to Tangerine by Edward Bloor on ReadingList include Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey, The Boys Start the War, Ava and Pip, Diary of a Wombat, and Don’t Touch My Room. Each is scored on shared themes (people with visual disabilities, brothers, and diaries), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 2–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Tangerine reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 2–8), 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.

Books like Tangerine

If you liked Tangerine, read Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey, The Boys Start the War, or Ava and Pip — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Looking for books like Tangerine by Edward Bloor (Realistic Fiction · grades 2–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of people with visual disabilities, brothers, and diaries. 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 2–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

Reading the whole similar-books list? Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

Listen free on Audiblestarts instantly

New members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Try it on audio — free. Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

Listen free on Audiblestarts instantly

New members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Why each is a match

Amazon links below are affiliate links — as an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphreygrades 6–9: Shares themes of diaries, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
The Boys Start the Wargrades 3–8: Shares themes of brothers, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Ava and Pipgrades 3–8: Shares themes of diaries, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Diary of a Wombatgrades K–3: Shares themes of diaries, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Don’t Touch My Roomgrades K–3: Shares themes of brothers, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Henry Reed's Babysitting Servicegrades 4–6: Shares themes of diaries, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Lawn Boygrades 2–8: Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
Sharing Susangrades 2–8: Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
Shiloh Seasongrades 3–6: Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Giant Slayergrades 3–6: Shares themes of people with disabilities, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Tangerine for younger readers (K–2)

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

When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat by Raúl the Third III · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Donut Feed the Squirrels by Mika Song · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Here Comes the Garbage Barge by Jonah Winter · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).

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

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

Verdi by Janell Cannon · grades 3–5 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5).
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech · 770L — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–7).
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat by Raúl the Third III · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes · grades 5–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).

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

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

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech · 770L — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–7).
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat by Raúl the Third III · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes · grades 5–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).

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

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

Breaking Boxes by A. M. Jenkins · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of brothers and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
A Sudden Silence by Eve Bunting · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of brothers and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of diaries and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Izzy, Willy-Nilly by Cynthia Voigt · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of people with disabilities and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Night Kites by M. E. Kerr · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of brothers and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Common questions

What books are similar to Tangerine?: The 10 closest matches to Tangerine by Edward Bloor on ReadingList include Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey, The Boys Start the War, Ava and Pip, Diary of a Wombat, and Don’t Touch My Room. Each is scored on shared themes (people with visual disabilities, brothers, and diaries), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 2–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Tangerine reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 2–8), 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.

← Back to Tangerine