Books like The Lie Tree

If you liked The Lie Tree, read Cuckoo Song, Abigail Adams, or At Night — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge (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.

10 books similar to The Lie Tree

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Why each is a match

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Cuckoo Songgrades 5–12
Is by Frances Hardinge, the same author, both on the Andre Norton Award for Middle Grade & Young Adult Fiction list, and overlapping grades (5–12). Amazon → books like this →
Abigail Adamsgrades 4–10
Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →
At Nightgrades K–5
Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5). Amazon → books like this →
Black Enoughgrades 4–10
Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →
Blink and Cautiongrades 4–9
Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
Building Our Housegrades K–5
Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5). Amazon → books like this →
Cartwheeling in Thunderstormsgrades 4–9
Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
Carvergrades 4–9
Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
Dog and Bear: Two Friends, Three Storiesgrades K–5
Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5). Amazon → books like this →
Eleanor & Parkgrades 4–9
Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Lie Tree for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
  • Freedom Over Me by Ashley Bryan · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
  • Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
  • I Know Here by Laurel Croza · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
  • Jazz Day by Roxane Orgill · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).

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

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

  • Electric Ben by Robert Byrd · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
  • Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
  • Freedom Over Me by Ashley Bryan · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
  • Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say · grades K–5 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (K–5).
  • Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).

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

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

  • Electric Ben by Robert Byrd · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
  • Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling · grades 3–10 — Both on the Andre Norton Award for Middle Grade & Young Adult Fiction list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (3–10).
  • Humbug Mountain by Sid Fleischman · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
  • Infinite Hope by Ashley Bryan · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).

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

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

  • Electric Ben by Robert Byrd · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
  • Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling · grades 3–10 — Both on the Andre Norton Award for Middle Grade & Young Adult Fiction list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (3–10).
  • Humbug Mountain by Sid Fleischman · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
  • Infinite Hope by Ashley Bryan · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Lie Tree?
The 10 closest matches to The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge on ReadingList include Cuckoo Song, Abigail Adams, At Night, Black Enough, and Blink and Caution. 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 Lie Tree 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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