Books like Tears of A Tiger

If you liked Tears of A Tiger, read If You Come Softly, Plague Year, or Forged by Fire — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Tears of A Tiger by Sharon M. Draper (Realistic Fiction · grades 9–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of death, high schools, and schools. 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 9–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Tears of A Tiger

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Why each is a match

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If You Come Softlygrades 9–12
Shares themes of schools, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Plague Yeargrades 9–12
Shares themes of high schools and schools, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Forged by Firegrades 7–10
Is by Sharon M. Draper, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10). Amazon → books like this →
Romiette and Juliogrades 7–10
Is by Sharon M. Draper, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10). Amazon → books like this →
Say Goodnight, Graciegrades 9–12
Shares themes of death, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
A Door Near Heregrades 9–12
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
As I Lay Dyinggrades 11–12
Shares themes of death, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (11–12). Amazon → books like this →
Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soulgrades 9–12
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
High Heatgrades 6–9
Shares themes of high schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Jumping the Nailgrades 9–12
Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Tears of A Tiger for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Mr. Tanen's Ties by Maryann Cocca-Leffler · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • The Toll-Bridge Troll by Patricia Rae Wolff · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Beware of Boys by Tony Blundell · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1990s).

Books like Tears of A Tiger for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of death and schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Fig Pudding by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of death, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Drive-By by Lynne Ewing · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of death and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Tears of A Tiger for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of death and schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Blackwater by Eve Bunting · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of death, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of schools, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Drive-By by Lynne Ewing · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of death and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Tears of A Tiger for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Just Like Martin by Ossie Davis · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
  • Perfect by Natasha Friend · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of death, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of high schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
  • The China Garden by Liz Berry · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
  • Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).

Common questions

What books are similar to Tears of A Tiger?
The 10 closest matches to Tears of A Tiger by Sharon M. Draper on ReadingList include If You Come Softly, Plague Year, Forged by Fire, Romiette and Julio, and Say Goodnight, Gracie. Each is scored on shared themes (death, high schools, and schools), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Tears of A Tiger reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), 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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