What books are similar to The Cat Ate My Gymsuit?

The 10 closest matches to The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger on ReadingList include Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, There's a Bat in Bunk Five, City Spies, Front Desk, and Invisible. Each is scored on shared themes (pledge of allegiance, pta, and children’s middle grade books), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Cat Ate My Gymsuit reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–6), 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 Cat Ate My Gymsuit

If you liked The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, read Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, There's a Bat in Bunk Five, or City Spies — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger (Realistic Fiction · grades 4–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of pledge of allegiance, pta, and children’s middle grade books. 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 4–6 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Joey Pigza Swallowed the Keygrades 6–8: Shares themes of schools, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
There's a Bat in Bunk Fivegrades 6–8: Is by Paula Danziger, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
City Spiesgrades 4–6: Both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Front Desk640L: Both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon → books like this →
Invisiblegrades 4–6: Both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Lemonade Wargrades 4–6: Both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaretgrades 4–6: Both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Call Me Hopegrades 3–5: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Class Clowngrades 3–5: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Daphne's Bookgrades 4–8: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Cat Ate My Gymsuit 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).
A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman · grades 2–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Herbie's Troubles by Carol Chapman · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools 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).

Books like The Cat Ate My Gymsuit for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 3–5— 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).
A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman · grades 2–3 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Eight Keys by Suzanne M. LaFleur · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like The Cat Ate My Gymsuit for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Eight Keys by Suzanne M. LaFleur · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like The Cat Ate My Gymsuit for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Tears of A Tiger by Sharon M. Draper · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
After by Francine Prose · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
A Door Near Here by Heather Quarles · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Cat Ate My Gymsuit?: The 10 closest matches to The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger on ReadingList include Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, There's a Bat in Bunk Five, City Spies, Front Desk, and Invisible. Each is scored on shared themes (pledge of allegiance, pta, and children’s middle grade books), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Cat Ate My Gymsuit reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–6), 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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