Books like The Great Gilly Hopkins

If you liked The Great Gilly Hopkins, read Because of Winn-Dixie, Bridge to Terabithia, or Jacob Have I Loved — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson? 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 Great Gilly Hopkins

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Why each is a match

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Because of Winn-Dixie610L
Both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award list (+2 more shared lists), overlapping grades (3–5), and the same era (2000s). Amazon → books like this →
Bridge to Terabithia810L
Is by Katherine Paterson, the same author and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Jacob Have I Lovedgrades 3–7
Is by Katherine Paterson, the same author and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon → books like this →
There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroomgrades 4–6
Both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (2000s). Amazon → books like this →
Frindle830L
Both on the Massachusetts Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon → books like this →
Hatchet1020L
Both on the Massachusetts Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Holes660L
Both on the Massachusetts Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Maniac Magee820L
Both on the Massachusetts Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Mick Harte Was Heregrades 5–8
Both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Restart730L
Both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Great Gilly Hopkins for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Both on the Massachusetts Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Small Spaces by Katherine Arden · grades 3–5 — Both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (3–5).
  • The Ghost of Fossil Glen by Cynthia C. DeFelice · grades 3–8 — Both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • A Dog's Life by Ann M. Martin · grades 4–6 — Both on the William Allen White Children's Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (2000s).
  • A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements · grades 3–6 — Both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award list, overlapping grades (3–6), and the same era (2000s).

Books like The Great Gilly Hopkins for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Both on the Massachusetts Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • The Ghost of Fossil Glen by Cynthia C. DeFelice · grades 3–8 — Both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • A Dog's Life by Ann M. Martin · grades 4–6 — Both on the William Allen White Children's Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (2000s).
  • A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements · grades 3–6 — Both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award list, overlapping grades (3–6), and the same era (2000s).
  • Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer · grades 4–6 — Both on the Massachusetts Children's Book Award list, overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (2000s).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Great Gilly Hopkins?
The 10 closest matches to The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson on ReadingList include Because of Winn-Dixie, Bridge to Terabithia, Jacob Have I Loved, There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom, and Frindle. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Great Gilly Hopkins reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–6), 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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