What books are similar to The Curse of the Blue Figurine?

The 10 closest matches to The Curse of the Blue Figurine by John Bellairs on ReadingList include Christina's Ghost, Don't Look Behind You, Skeleton Creek, The Other Side of Dark, and Dead Man in Indian Creek. Each is scored on shared themes (horror stories, mystery and detective stories, and dixon, johnny (personnage fictif)), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Curse of the Blue Figurine reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–8), 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 Curse of the Blue Figurine

If you liked The Curse of the Blue Figurine, read Christina's Ghost, Don't Look Behind You, or Skeleton Creek — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like The Curse of the Blue Figurine by John Bellairs (Mystery · grades 6–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of horror stories, mystery and detective stories, and dixon, johnny (personnage fictif). 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 6–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Christina's Ghostgrades 4–6: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery). Amazon → books like this →
Don't Look Behind Yougrades 6–8: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery). Amazon → books like this →
Skeleton Creekgrades 3–8: Shares themes of horror stories and mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Other Side of Darkgrades 6–8: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery). Amazon → books like this →
Dead Man in Indian Creekgrades 4–6: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery). Amazon → books like this →
Spirit Seekergrades 6–8: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery). Amazon → books like this →
Nightmare Mountaingrades 3–6: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Dark and Deadly Poolgrades 6–8: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Third Eyegrades 6–8: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Whispers from the Deadgrades 6–9: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Curse of the Blue Figurine for younger readers (K–2)

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

In a Dark, Dark Room by Alvin Schwartz · grades K–3 — Shares themes of horror stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery).
Piggins by Jane Yolen · grades K–3 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and same genre (Mystery).
Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick · grades K–3 — Same genre (Mystery).
Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Mystery) and overlapping grades (2–8).
Heckedy Peg by Audrey Wood · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list and the same era (1980s).

Books like The Curse of the Blue Figurine for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

In a Dark, Dark Room by Alvin Schwartz · grades K–3 — Shares themes of horror stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery).
A Haunting in Williamsburg by Lou Kassem · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery).
Piggins by Jane Yolen · grades K–3 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and same genre (Mystery).
The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and same genre (Mystery).
Alvin's Swap Shop by Clifford B. Hicks · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like The Curse of the Blue Figurine for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Alvin's Swap Shop by Clifford B. Hicks · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Framed! by James Ponti · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Tarot Says Beware by Betsy Cromer Byars · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Terror at the Zoo by Peg Kehret · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–6).

Books like The Curse of the Blue Figurine for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

The Man in the Woods by Rosemary Wells · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery).
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery).
Plague Year by Stephanie S. Tolan · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery).
Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and same genre (Mystery).
The Haunting by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (6–9).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Curse of the Blue Figurine?: The 10 closest matches to The Curse of the Blue Figurine by John Bellairs on ReadingList include Christina's Ghost, Don't Look Behind You, Skeleton Creek, The Other Side of Dark, and Dead Man in Indian Creek. Each is scored on shared themes (horror stories, mystery and detective stories, and dixon, johnny (personnage fictif)), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Curse of the Blue Figurine reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–8), 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.

Book data last updated 2026-09-05. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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