Books like The Girl with the Ghost Machine

If you liked The Girl with the Ghost Machine, read Sal and Gabi Break the Universe, The Screaming Staircase, or Among the Hidden — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like The Girl with the Ghost Machine by Lauren DeStefano (Science Fiction · grades 3–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of grief, fathers and daughters, and ghost stories. 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 3–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to The Girl with the Ghost Machine

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Why each is a match

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Sal and Gabi Break the Universegrades 4–7
Shares themes of grief, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
The Screaming Staircasegrades 3–8
Shares themes of ghost stories, both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
Among the Hiddengrades 5–8
Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
My Teacher Is an Aliengrades 3–6
Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
Shape-Changergrades 3–8
Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
The Ghost's Gravegrades 3–8
Shares themes of ghost stories, both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
Virtually Perfectgrades 3–8
Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
Long Way Down720L
Shares themes of grief and overlapping grades (7–12). Amazon →
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25grades 6–9
Same genre (Science Fiction), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
Mick Harte Was Heregrades 5–8
Shares themes of grief and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →

Books like The Girl with the Ghost Machine for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Books like The Girl with the Ghost Machine for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of grief and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Scythe by Neal Shusterman · grades 7–12 — Same genre (Science Fiction), overlapping grades (7–12), and the same era (2010s).
  • Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe by Jo Watson Hackl · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of grief and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson · grades 7–12 — Same genre (Science Fiction), overlapping grades (7–12), and the same era (2010s).
  • The Crossover by Kwame Alexander · 750L — Shares themes of grief and overlapping grades (5–8).

Books like The Girl with the Ghost Machine for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Scythe by Neal Shusterman · grades 7–12 — Same genre (Science Fiction), overlapping grades (7–12), and the same era (2010s).
  • Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson · grades 7–12 — Same genre (Science Fiction), overlapping grades (7–12), and the same era (2010s).
  • The Fault in Our Stars by John Green · 850L — Shares themes of grief.
  • Four for the Road by K.J. Reilly · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of grief.
  • Ruby Lost and Found by Christina Li · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of grief and overlapping grades (6–9).

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

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