What books are similar to The Cay?

The 10 closest matches to The Cay by Theodore Taylor on ReadingList include Code Name Kingfisher, I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912, Iceberg, Swim Team, and The Book Thief. Each is scored on shared themes (survival, friendship, and race), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 5–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Cay reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 5–8), 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 Cay

If you liked The Cay, read Code Name Kingfisher, I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912, or Iceberg — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Looking for books like The Cay by Theodore Taylor (Historical Fiction · grades 5–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of survival, friendship, and race. The 10 titles below are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, 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 5–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

Reading the whole similar-books list? Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

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Why each is a match

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Code Name Kingfishergrades 4–8: Shares themes of survival and courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912590L: Shares themes of survival and courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–5). Amazon → books like this →
Iceberggrades 3–7: Shares themes of survival and courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon → books like this →
Swim Teamgrades 3–7: Shares themes of friendship, race, and courage and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon → books like this →
The Book Thief730L: Shares themes of friendship and courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (8–11). Amazon → books like this →
A Long Walk to Water720L: Shares themes of survival, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). 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 →
Alliesgrades 5–9: Shares themes of courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–9). Amazon → books like this →
Bud, Not Buddy950L: Shares themes of race, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Class Actgrades 4–8: Shares themes of friendship and race and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Cay for younger readers (K–2)

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

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of survival, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Just Like Millie by Lauren Castillo · grades K–3 — Shares themes of friendship and courage.
Knight Owl by Christopher Denise · grades K–3 — Shares themes of friendship and courage.
Knight Owl and Early Bird by Christopher Denise · grades K–3 — Shares themes of friendship and courage.
The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1) by Christina Soontornvat · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of friendship and courage and overlapping grades (2–5).

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

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

Dogtown by Katherine Applegate & Gennifer Choldenko · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of friendship and courage and overlapping grades (3–6).
Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan · 680L — Shares themes of courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of friendship and courage and overlapping grades (4–7).
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of survival, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling · 880L — Shares themes of friendship and courage and overlapping grades (4–7).

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

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

Dogtown by Katherine Applegate & Gennifer Choldenko · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of friendship and courage and overlapping grades (3–6).
Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan · 680L — Shares themes of courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of friendship and courage and overlapping grades (4–7).
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of survival, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling · 880L — Shares themes of friendship and courage and overlapping grades (4–7).

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

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

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of friendship and courage and overlapping grades (6–9).
My Ántonia by Willa Cather · 1010L — Shares themes of friendship and same genre (Historical Fiction).
Projekt 1065 by Alan Gratz · grades 5–9 — Shares themes of courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–9).
Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Shares themes of survival, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–9).
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys · 560L — Shares themes of survival, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (8–12).

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

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