Books like The Cricket in Times Square

Looking for books like The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden (Middle Grade Fiction · 780L · grades 3–5)? It’s most often read for its themes of friendship, unlikely kindness, and city life. The 10 titlesbelow 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 3–5 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to The Cricket in Times Square

Why each is a match

Wonder790L
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and a close reading level (790L vs 780L).
Pax760L
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and a close reading level (760L vs 780L).
The BFG720L
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and a close reading level (720L vs 780L).
The Mouse and the Motorcycle860L
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and a close reading level (860L vs 780L).
James and the Giant Peach870L
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and a close reading level (870L vs 780L).
Out of My Mind700L
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and a close reading level (700L vs 780L).
Hello, Universe690L
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and a close reading level (690L vs 780L).
Holes660L
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and a close reading level (660L vs 780L).
Stuart Little920L
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and a close reading level (920L vs 780L).
Ramona the Pest750L
Same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), a close reading level (750L vs 780L), and the same era (1960s).

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