# Books like The First State of Being

**10** books similar to *The First State of Being* by Erin Entrada Kelly (Middle Grade Fiction · grades 6–8), matched on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level. Every pick is grade-appropriate (a reading-level match, not just a topical one) and links to where it is assigned in US schools.

**Themes:** friendship, identity, courage
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/similar/the-first-state-of-being
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## Similar books

- [Confessions of a Class Clown](https://readinglist.school/book/confessions-of-a-class-clown) by Arianne Costner _(Grades 6–8)_ — Shares themes of friendship and identity, both on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
- [Control Freaks](https://readinglist.school/book/control-freaks) by J.E. Thomas _(Grades 6–8)_ — Shares themes of friendship and identity, both on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
- [Simon Sort of Says](https://readinglist.school/book/simon-sort-of-says) by Erin Bow _(Grades 6–8)_ — Shares themes of friendship and courage, both on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
- [The Whipping Boy](https://readinglist.school/book/the-whipping-boy) by Sid Fleischman _(Grades 3–7)_ — Shares themes of friendship and courage, both on the Newbery Medal list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
- [Grounded](https://readinglist.school/book/grounded-airport) by Aisha Saeed, S.K. Ali, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow & Huda Al-Marashi _(Grades 4–8)_ — Shares themes of friendship and identity, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).
- [Holes](https://readinglist.school/book/holes) by Louis Sachar _(660L · Grades 4–7)_ — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Newbery Medal list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
- [Harriet the Spy](https://readinglist.school/book/harriet-the-spy) by Louise Fitzhugh _(Grades 4–7)_ — Shares themes of friendship and identity, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).
- [Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone](https://readinglist.school/book/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone) by J.K. Rowling _(880L · Grades 4–7)_ — Shares themes of friendship, identity, and courage and overlapping grades (4–7).
- [Heroes](https://readinglist.school/book/heroes) by Alan Gratz _(Grades 6–8)_ — Shares themes of friendship and courage, both on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (6–8).
- [Mid-Air](https://readinglist.school/book/mid-air) by Alicia D. Williams _(Grades 5–8)_ — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).

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