What books are similar to The Friendship?

The 10 closest matches to The Friendship by Mildred D. Taylor on ReadingList include The Road to Memphis, Let the Circle Be Unbroken, Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush, A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and Wonder, and Ajeemah and His Son. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Friendship reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–9), 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 Friendship

If you liked The Friendship, read The Road to Memphis, Let the Circle Be Unbroken, or Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like The Friendship by Mildred D. Taylor (Children's · grades 4–9)? 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 4–9 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 Road to Memphisgrades 4–8: Is by Mildred D. Taylor, the same author, both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Let the Circle Be Unbrokengrades 4–8: Is by Mildred D. Taylor, the same author, both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Sweet Whispers, Brother Rushgrades 4–9: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and Wondergrades 4–10: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →
Ajeemah and His Songrades 4–9: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birdsgrades 4–10: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →
Chuck Closegrades 4–10: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →
Goldengrove ; Unleavinggrades 4–9: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
Jambo Means Hellogrades K–5: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5). Amazon → books like this →
John Henrygrades K–5: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Friendship for younger readers (K–2)

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

Off to School, Baby Duck! by Amy Hest · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
Red-eyed Tree Frog by Joy Cowley · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
The Adventures of Sparrowboy by Brian Pinkney · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
The Fortune-Tellers by Lloyd Alexander · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks by Katherine Paterson · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).

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

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

Missing May by Cynthia Rylant · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
Off to School, Baby Duck! by Amy Hest · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
Orphan Train Rider by Andrea Warren · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
Red-eyed Tree Frog by Joy Cowley · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
Sojourner Truth by Pat McKissack · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).

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

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

The Land by Mildred D. Taylor · grades 7–12 — Is by Mildred D. Taylor, the same author, both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, and overlapping grades (7–12).
Missing May by Cynthia Rylant · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
Orphan Train Rider by Andrea Warren · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
Sojourner Truth by Pat McKissack · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child by Francisco Jiménez · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).

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

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

The Land by Mildred D. Taylor · grades 7–12 — Is by Mildred D. Taylor, the same author, both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, and overlapping grades (7–12).
Missing May by Cynthia Rylant · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
Orphan Train Rider by Andrea Warren · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
Sojourner Truth by Pat McKissack · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child by Francisco Jiménez · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Friendship?: The 10 closest matches to The Friendship by Mildred D. Taylor on ReadingList include The Road to Memphis, Let the Circle Be Unbroken, Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush, A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and Wonder, and Ajeemah and His Son. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Friendship reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–9), 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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