What books are similar to The Compound?

The 10 closest matches to The Compound by S. A. Bodeen on ReadingList include Forged by Fire, High Heat, Loser, Mississippi Trial, 1955, and Night Hoops. 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 Compound 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.

Books like The Compound

If you liked The Compound, read Forged by Fire, High Heat, or Loser — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like The Compound by S. A. Bodeen (Realistic Fiction · 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.

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Why each is a match

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Forged by Firegrades 7–10: Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10). Amazon → books like this →
High Heatgrades 6–9: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Losergrades 4–6: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Mississippi Trial, 1955grades 6–9: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Night Hoopsgrades 6–9: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Perfectgrades 6–9: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
So B. Itgrades 5–8: Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Stargirlgrades 6–9: Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsgrades 7–10: Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10). Amazon → books like this →
Togogrades 2–8: Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →

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

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

My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
Titanicat by Marty Crisp · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
Arrowhawk by Lola M. Schaefer · grades K–3 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel · grades K–3 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
Bedhead by Margie Palatini · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).

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

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

My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
Titanicat by Marty Crisp · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
Maxi’s Secrets: (Or, What You Can Learn from a Dog) by Lynn Plourde · grades 3–5 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list) and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Arrowhawk by Lola M. Schaefer · grades K–3 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel · grades K–3 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).

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

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

Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume · grades 4–6 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job by Willo Davis Roberts · grades 3–8 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Cardboard by Doug TenNapel · grades 6–8 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8).
Cliff-Hanger by Alane Ferguson · grades 4–6 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

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

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

Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Danger Zone by David Klass · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey by Margaret Peterson Haddix · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
House Arrest by K. A. Holt · grades 6–9 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt · grades 7–10 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Compound?: The 10 closest matches to The Compound by S. A. Bodeen on ReadingList include Forged by Fire, High Heat, Loser, Mississippi Trial, 1955, and Night Hoops. 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 Compound 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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