Books like The 5th Wave

If you liked The 5th Wave, read A Hat Full of Sky, Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang, or City of Bones — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (Children's · grades 6–9)? 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.

10 books similar to The 5th Wave

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Why each is a match

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A Hat Full of Skygrades 9–12
Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Banggrades 4–7
Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
City of Bonesgrades 9–12
Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Crazygrades 9–12
Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Danny Dunn and the Homework Machinegrades 4–7
Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Danny Dunn on the Ocean Floorgrades 4–7
Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Driver's Edgrades 4–6
Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Fat Kid Rules The Worldgrades 9–12
Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Fourgrades 9–12
Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Henry Hugginsgrades 4–7
Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The 5th Wave for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • A Band of Angels by Deborah Hopkinson · grades K–5 — Same genre (Children's) and the same era (2010s).
  • A Dance Like Starlight by Kristy Dempsey · grades K–5 — Same genre (Children's) and the same era (2010s).
  • A Green Place to be by Ashley Benham Yazdani · grades K–5 — Same genre (Children's) and the same era (2010s).
  • A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker · grades K–5 — Same genre (Children's) and the same era (2010s).
  • At Night by Jonathan Bean · grades K–5 — Same genre (Children's) and the same era (2010s).

Books like The 5th Wave for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • John F. Kennedy and PT-109 by Richard Tregaskis · grades 4–7 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • Lassie Come Home by Eric Knight · grades 4–7 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • McElligot's Pool by Dr. Seuss · grades 4–7 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • Ten Kids, No Pets by M. Martin Ann · grades 4–6 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • The Black Stallion Adventures by Walter Farley · grades 4–7 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like The 5th Wave for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • John F. Kennedy and PT-109 by Richard Tregaskis · grades 4–7 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • Lassie Come Home by Eric Knight · grades 4–7 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • Magisterium: The Iron Trial by Cassandra Clare · grades 6–9 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer (Book 1) by Rick Riordan · grades 6–9 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • McElligot's Pool by Dr. Seuss · grades 4–7 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like The 5th Wave for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Magisterium: The Iron Trial by Cassandra Clare · grades 6–9 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer (Book 1) by Rick Riordan · grades 6–9 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • New Moon by Stephenie Meyer · grades 9–12 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (9–12).
  • Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard · grades 9–12 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (9–12).
  • The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne · grades 6–9 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (6–9).

Common questions

What books are similar to The 5th Wave?
The 10 closest matches to The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey on ReadingList include A Hat Full of Sky, Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang, City of Bones, Crazy, and Danny Dunn and the Homework Machine. Each is scored on shared themes, 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 The 5th Wave 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.

Book data last updated 2026-09-05. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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