What books are similar to The Indian in the Cupboard?

The 10 closest matches to The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks on ReadingList include City of Ghosts, The Lifters, Drama, El Deafo, and Keeper of the Lost Cities. Each is scored on shared themes (friendship, responsibility, and imagination), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Indian in the Cupboard reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–6), 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.

Books like The Indian in the Cupboard

If you liked The Indian in the Cupboard, read City of Ghosts, The Lifters, or Drama — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks (Fantasy · grades 3–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of friendship, responsibility, and imagination. 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 3–6 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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City of Ghostsgrades 4–7: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, and same genre (Fantasy). Amazon → books like this →
The Liftersgrades 3–8: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, and same genre (Fantasy). Amazon → books like this →
Dramagrades 5–9: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–9). Amazon → books like this →
El Deafo420L: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Keeper of the Lost Citiesgrades 4–8: Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Fantasy). Amazon → books like this →
Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotismgrades 3–8: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, and same genre (Fantasy). Amazon → books like this →
New Kidgrades 4–8: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Out of My Mind700L: Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Powerlessgrades 4–7: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award list, and same genre (Fantasy). Amazon → books like this →
Smile410L: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Indian in the Cupboard for younger readers (K–2)

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

The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary · 860L — Shares themes of friendship and responsibility, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, and overlapping grades (2–4).
The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths · 560L — Shares themes of friendship and imagination and overlapping grades (2–5).
Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and overlapping grades (2–8).
Corduroy by Don Freeman · 600L — Shares themes of friendship and imagination and overlapping grades (K–3).
Dog Man by Dav Pilkey · 390L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, and overlapping grades (2–5).

Books like The Indian in the Cupboard for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

The BFG by Roald Dahl · 720L — Shares themes of friendship and imagination, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary · 860L — Shares themes of friendship and responsibility, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, and overlapping grades (2–4).
Wonder by R.J. Palacio · 790L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+4 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–7).
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo · 610L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–5).
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine · grades 4–7 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like The Indian in the Cupboard for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

The BFG by Roald Dahl · 720L — Shares themes of friendship and imagination, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Maze Runner by James Dashner · grades 7–12 — Shares themes of friendship and both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+1 more shared list).
Wonder by R.J. Palacio · 790L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+4 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–7).
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine · grades 4–7 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Eragon by Christopher Paolini · grades 6–9 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (6–9).

Books like The Indian in the Cupboard for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

The Maze Runner by James Dashner · grades 7–12 — Shares themes of friendship and both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+1 more shared list).
Eragon by Christopher Paolini · grades 6–9 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (6–9).
The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan · grades 5–9 — Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (5–9).
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award list, and overlapping grades (6–9).
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan · grades 5–9 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (5–9).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Indian in the Cupboard?: The 10 closest matches to The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks on ReadingList include City of Ghosts, The Lifters, Drama, El Deafo, and Keeper of the Lost Cities. Each is scored on shared themes (friendship, responsibility, and imagination), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Indian in the Cupboard reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–6), 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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