What books are similar to The Late Great Me?

The 10 closest matches to The Late Great Me by Sandra Scoppettone on ReadingList include A Door Near Here, We All Fall Down, A Summer to Die, A Sudden Silence, and After. Each is scored on shared themes (alcoholics, alcoholism, and alcoholism, fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Late Great Me reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), 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 Late Great Me

If you liked The Late Great Me, read A Door Near Here, We All Fall Down, or A Summer to Die — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like The Late Great Me by Sandra Scoppettone (Realistic Fiction · grades 9–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of alcoholics, alcoholism, and alcoholism, fiction. 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 9–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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A Door Near Heregrades 9–12: Shares themes of alcoholics and alcoholism, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
We All Fall Downgrades 9–12: Shares themes of alcoholism, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
A Summer to Diegrades 9–12: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
A Sudden Silencegrades 9–12: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Aftergrades 9–12: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Armageddon Summergrades 9–12: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Badgrades 9–12: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Breaking Boxesgrades 9–12: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Define "Normal"grades 9–12: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
I Must Betray Yougrades 9–12: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Late Great Me for younger readers (K–2)

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

Big Bad Bruce by Bill Peet · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1970s).
Little Rabbit's Loose Tooth by Lucy Bate · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1970s).
Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp by Mercer Mayer · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1970s).
Miss Nelson Is Missing by Harry Allard · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1970s).
A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like The Late Great Me for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Big Bad Bruce by Bill Peet · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1970s).
Little Rabbit's Loose Tooth by Lucy Bate · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1970s).
Liza Lou and the Yeller Belly Swamp by Mercer Mayer · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1970s).
Miss Nelson Is Missing by Harry Allard · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1970s).
The Pinballs by Betsy Cromer Byars · grades 4–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1970s).

Books like The Late Great Me for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

The Pinballs by Betsy Cromer Byars · grades 4–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1970s).
Across the Desert by Dusti Bowling · grades 3–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
All About Sam by Lois Lowry · grades 4–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon by Janet Stevens · grades 3–8 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming · grades 3–8 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like The Late Great Me for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
Ironman by Chris Crutcher · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
Izzy, Willy-Nilly by Cynthia Voigt · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
Night Kites by M. E. Kerr · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12).
Ruby Lost and Found by Christina Li · grades 6–9 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Late Great Me?: The 10 closest matches to The Late Great Me by Sandra Scoppettone on ReadingList include A Door Near Here, We All Fall Down, A Summer to Die, A Sudden Silence, and After. Each is scored on shared themes (alcoholics, alcoholism, and alcoholism, fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Late Great Me reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), 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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