Books like The Maze Runner

If you liked The Maze Runner, read Wonder, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, or The Hunger Games — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like The Maze Runner by James Dashner (Dystopian · grades 7–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of survival, memory, and friendship. 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 7–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to The Maze Runner

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Why each is a match

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Wonder790L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Charlotte Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone880L
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Charlotte Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
The Hunger Games810L
Shares themes of survival, both on the Charlotte Award list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon →
Divergentgrades 8–12
Both on the Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) list, same genre (Dystopian), and overlapping grades (8–12). Amazon →
Dramagrades 5–9
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (5–9). Amazon →
My Ántonia1010L
Shares themes of memory and friendship and overlapping grades (10–12). Amazon →
New Kidgrades 4–8
Shares themes of friendship, both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon →
Powerlessgrades 4–7
Shares themes of memory and friendship and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
Refugee800L
Shares themes of survival, both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (5–9). Amazon →
Restart730L
Shares themes of memory, both on the Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) list, and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →

Books like The Maze Runner for younger readers (K–2)

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

Books like The Maze Runner for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • El Deafo by Cece Bell · 420L — Shares themes of friendship and both on the Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) list.
  • Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson · 440L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • Smile by Raina Telgemeier · 410L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Swindle by Gordon Korman · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • The Cay by Theodore Taylor · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of survival and friendship and overlapping grades (5–8).

Books like The Maze Runner for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • El Deafo by Cece Bell · 420L — Shares themes of friendship and both on the Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) list.
  • Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson · 440L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • Smile by Raina Telgemeier · 410L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Swindle by Gordon Korman · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • The Cay by Theodore Taylor · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of survival and friendship and overlapping grades (5–8).

Books like The Maze Runner for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Under the Surface by Diana Urban · grades 7–12 — Shares themes of survival and friendship and overlapping grades (7–12).
  • Legend by Marie Lu · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Dystopian), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2010s).
  • Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • Posted by John David Anderson · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of friendship and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys · 560L — Shares themes of survival and overlapping grades (8–12).

What to read after The Maze Runner

The Maze Runner is book 1 of 5 in James Dashner’s The Maze Runner series. Not done with the series yet? Follow the The Maze Runner reading order first — then come back for the matches above.

Book data last updated 2026-07-07. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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