Books like The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Looking for books like The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (Middle Grade Fantasy · 940L · grades 4–7)? It’s most often read for its themes of good vs evil, courage, and sacrifice. The 10 titlesbelow are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, 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 4–7 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.
10 books similar to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneJ.R.Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneJ.K. Rowling · 880L
ShilohPhyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMHRobert C. O'Brien · 790L
Number the StarsLois Lowry · 670L
The Tale of DespereauxKate DiCamillo · 670L
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912Lauren Tarshis · 590L
Stone FoxJohn Reynolds Gardiner · 550L
Bud, Not BuddyChristopher Paul Curtis · 950L- Diary of a Wimpy KidJ.K.Diary of a Wimpy KidJeff Kinney · 950L
Stuart LittleE.B. White · 920L
Why each is a match
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone880L
- Shares themes of good vs evil and courage, same genre (Middle Grade Fantasy), and a close reading level (880L vs 940L).
- Shiloh890L
- Shares themes of courage and family and a close reading level (890L vs 940L).
- Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH790L
- Shares themes of courage and family and a close reading level (790L vs 940L).
- Number the Stars670L
- Shares themes of courage and family and overlapping grades (4–7).
- The Tale of Despereaux670L
- Shares themes of courage, same genre (Middle Grade Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–6).
- I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912590L
- Shares themes of courage and family and overlapping grades (2–5).
- Stone Fox550L
- Shares themes of sacrifice and family and overlapping grades (3–5).
- Bud, Not Buddy950L
- Shares themes of family and a close reading level (950L vs 940L).
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid950L
- Shares themes of family and a close reading level (950L vs 940L).
- Stuart Little920L
- Shares themes of family and a close reading level (920L vs 940L).