What books are similar to The Computer Nut?

The 10 closest matches to The Computer Nut by Betsy Cromer Byars on ReadingList include The Pinballs, My Dog, My Hero, The Ghost Inside the Monitor, All About Sam, and Do Bananas Chew Gum?. Each is scored on shared themes (extraterrestrial beings, computers, and computers, fiction), 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 Computer Nut 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 Computer Nut

If you liked The Computer Nut, read The Pinballs, My Dog, My Hero, or The Ghost Inside the Monitor — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like The Computer Nut by Betsy Cromer Byars (Realistic Fiction · grades 4–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of extraterrestrial beings, computers, and computers, fiction. 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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The Pinballsgrades 4–6: Is by Betsy Cromer Byars, the same author, both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
My Dog, My Herogrades 3–5: Is by Betsy Cromer Byars, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
The Ghost Inside the Monitorgrades 4–6: Shares themes of computers, both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
All About Samgrades 4–6: Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Do Bananas Chew Gum?grades 4–6: Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
All the Money in the Worldgrades 4–6: Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Attaboy, Sam!grades 4–6: Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Big Bengrades 4–6: Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
City Spiesgrades 4–6: Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Eight Keysgrades 4–6: Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Computer Nut for younger readers (K–2)

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

Bagdad Ate It by Phyllis Green · grades K–3 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (1980s).
Don’t Touch My Room by Patricia Lakin · grades K–3 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (1980s).
Herbie's Troubles by Carol Chapman · grades K–3 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (1980s).
Miss Nelson Has a Field Day by Harry Allard · grades K–3 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (1980s).
Miss Nelson Is Back by Harry Allard · grades K–3 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (1980s).

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

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

Tornado by Betsy Cromer Byars · grades 3–6 — Is by Betsy Cromer Byars, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Four Eyes by Rex Ogle · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Haven: A Small Cat's Big Adventure by Megan Wagner Lloyd · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Loser by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

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

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

Tornado by Betsy Cromer Byars · grades 3–6 — Is by Betsy Cromer Byars, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Four Eyes by Rex Ogle · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Haven: A Small Cat's Big Adventure by Megan Wagner Lloyd · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Loser by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

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

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

A Sudden Silence by Eve Bunting · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (1980s).
Izzy, Willy-Nilly by Cynthia Voigt · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (1980s).
Master Harold...and the Boys by Athol Fugard · grades 9–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (1980s).
Night Kites by M. E. Kerr · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (1980s).
Our Country's Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker · grades 11–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (1980s).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Computer Nut?: The 10 closest matches to The Computer Nut by Betsy Cromer Byars on ReadingList include The Pinballs, My Dog, My Hero, The Ghost Inside the Monitor, All About Sam, and Do Bananas Chew Gum?. Each is scored on shared themes (extraterrestrial beings, computers, and computers, fiction), 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 Computer Nut 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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