What books are similar to The Book Thief?

The 10 closest matches to The Book Thief by Markus Zusak on ReadingList include The Cay, The Devil's Arithmetic, Echo, When You Reach Me, and One Crazy Summer. Each is scored on shared themes (Holocaust, courage, and the power of words), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 8–11), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Book Thief reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 8–11), 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 The Book Thief

If you liked The Book Thief, read The Cay, The Devil's Arithmetic, or Echo — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Looking for books like The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Historical Fiction · 730L · grades 8–11)? It’s most often read for its themes of Holocaust, courage, and the power of words. 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 8–11 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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The Caygrades 5–8: Shares themes of courage and friendship, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Devil's Arithmetic730L: Shares themes of Holocaust, same genre (Historical Fiction), and a close reading level (730L vs 730L). Amazon → books like this →
Echo680L: Shares themes of courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and a close reading level (680L vs 730L). Amazon → books like this →
When You Reach Me750L: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (750L vs 730L). Amazon → books like this →
One Crazy Summer750L: Both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, same genre (Historical Fiction), and a close reading level (750L vs 730L). Amazon → books like this →
The Outsiders750L: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (750L vs 730L). Amazon → books like this →
The Kite Runner840L: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (840L vs 730L). Amazon → books like this →
Salt to the Sea560L: Shares themes of Holocaust, same genre (Historical Fiction), and a close reading level (560L vs 730L). Amazon → books like this →
My Ántonia1010L: Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (10–12). Amazon → books like this →
A Night Dividedgrades 5–8: Shares themes of courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Book Thief for younger readers (K–2)

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

I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 by Lauren Tarshis · 590L — Shares themes of courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and a close reading level (590L vs 730L).
Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows · 580L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (580L vs 730L).
Hidden Hope: How a Toy and a Hero Saved Lives During the Holocaust by Elisa Boxer · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of Holocaust and courage.
Just Like Millie by Lauren Castillo · grades K–3 — Shares themes of courage and friendship.
Knight Owl by Christopher Denise · grades K–3 — Shares themes of courage and friendship.

Books like The Book Thief for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry · 670L — Shares themes of Holocaust, courage, and friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (670L vs 730L).
The BFG by Roald Dahl · 720L — Shares themes of courage and friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (720L vs 730L).
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo · 610L — Shares themes of friendship and loss, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (610L vs 730L).
Pax by Sara Pennypacker · 760L — Shares themes of friendship and loss and a close reading level (760L vs 730L).
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan · 740L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (740L vs 730L).

Books like The Book Thief for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry · 670L — Shares themes of Holocaust, courage, and friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (670L vs 730L).
The BFG by Roald Dahl · 720L — Shares themes of courage and friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (720L vs 730L).
Pax by Sara Pennypacker · 760L — Shares themes of friendship and loss and a close reading level (760L vs 730L).
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan · 740L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (740L vs 730L).
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo · 670L — Shares themes of courage, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (670L vs 730L).

Books like The Book Thief for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Allies by Alan Gratz · grades 5–9 — Shares themes of courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–9).
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of courage and friendship and overlapping grades (6–9).
Projekt 1065 by Alan Gratz · grades 5–9 — Shares themes of courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–9).
Torch by Lyn Miller-Lachmann · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds · 720L — Shares themes of loss and a close reading level (720L vs 730L).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Book Thief?: The 10 closest matches to The Book Thief by Markus Zusak on ReadingList include The Cay, The Devil's Arithmetic, Echo, When You Reach Me, and One Crazy Summer. Each is scored on shared themes (Holocaust, courage, and the power of words), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 8–11), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Book Thief reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 8–11), 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 2026-08-11. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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