Books like The Fourteenth Goldfish

If you liked The Fourteenth Goldfish, read 101 Ways to Bug Your Parents, Backlash, or Clayton Byrd Goes Underground — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm (Realistic Fiction · grades 4–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of scientists, aging, and grandfathers. 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.

10 books similar to The Fourteenth Goldfish

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Why each is a match

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101 Ways to Bug Your Parentsgrades 4–6
Shares themes of family life, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon →
Backlashgrades 3–8
Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
Clayton Byrd Goes Undergroundgrades 3–5
Shares themes of grandfathers, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →
Saving Zashagrades 3–8
Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
All About Samgrades 4–6
Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Attaboy, Sam!grades 4–6
Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Ellie's Storygrades 3–6
Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
Front Desk640L
Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
Ghost Boys360L
Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the Worldgrades 2–8
Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon →

Books like The Fourteenth Goldfish for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2010s).
  • Here Comes the Garbage Barge by Jonah Winter · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2010s).
  • Lulu's Mysterious Mission by Judith Viorst · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2010s).
  • My Explosive Diary by Emily Gale · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2010s).
  • ¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat by Raúl the Third III · grades 2–8 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and overlapping grades (2–8).

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

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

  • Loser by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • Ramona's World by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Striped Ice Cream by Joan M. Lexau · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Ungifted by Gordon Korman · grades 5–8 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).

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

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

  • Loser by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • Ramona's World by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Striped Ice Cream by Joan M. Lexau · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of family life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Ungifted by Gordon Korman · grades 5–8 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).

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

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

  • Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2010s).
  • Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt · grades 7–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (2010s).
  • Posted by John David Anderson · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2010s).
  • Romiette and Julio by Sharon M. Draper · grades 7–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (2010s).
  • Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman · grades 7–10 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (2010s).

Book data last updated 2026-07-07. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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