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.

10 books similar to The Book Thief

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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 →
The Devil's Arithmetic730L
Shares themes of Holocaust, same genre (Historical Fiction), and a close reading level (730L vs 730L). Amazon →
Echo680L
Shares themes of courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and a close reading level (680L vs 730L). Amazon →
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 →
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 →
The Outsiders750L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (750L vs 730L). Amazon →
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 →
Salt to the Sea560L
Shares themes of Holocaust, same genre (Historical Fiction), and a close reading level (560L vs 730L). Amazon →
My Ántonia1010L
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (10–12). Amazon →
A Night Dividedgrades 5–8
Shares themes of courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →

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

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

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).

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

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