Books like The One and Only Ruby

If you liked The One and Only Ruby, read Boy 2.0, Onyx & Beyond, or The Firefly Summer — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Looking for books like The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate (Middle Grade Fiction · grades 2–5)? It’s most often read for its themes of animals, family, and memory. 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 2–5 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to The One and Only Ruby

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Why each is a match

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Boy 2.0grades 4–8
Shares themes of family and belonging, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon →
Onyx & Beyondgrades 3–6
Shares themes of family and memory, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
The Firefly Summergrades 3–7
Shares themes of family and belonging, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
The Wrong Way Homegrades 4–8
Shares themes of family and belonging, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon →
Jawbreakergrades 3–7
Shares themes of family, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon →
Old Yellergrades 5–8
Shares themes of animals and family, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
Rascalgrades 5–8
Shares themes of animals and family, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
Roll for Initiativegrades 4–8
Shares themes of family, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon →
Summer of the Monkeysgrades 4–7
Shares themes of animals and family, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
Diary of a Wimpy Kid950L
Shares themes of family, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon →

Books like The One and Only Ruby for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Picture Purrfect (Bodega Cats #1) by Hilda Eunice Burgos · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of animals and family and overlapping grades (2–5).
  • Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo · 450L — Shares themes of animals and family and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary · 750L — Shares themes of family, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–4).
  • Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume · 470L — Shares themes of family, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–5).
  • Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of belonging, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (2–5).

Books like The One and Only Ruby for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga · 930L — Shares themes of family and belonging, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon · 510L — Shares themes of family, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
  • The Wild Robot by Peter Brown · 740L — Shares themes of family, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
  • Between Two Brothers by Crystal Allen · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Countdown to Yesterday by Shirley Marr · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).

Books like The One and Only Ruby for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga · 930L — Shares themes of family and belonging, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
  • The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon · 510L — Shares themes of family, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
  • The Wild Robot by Peter Brown · 740L — Shares themes of family, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
  • Between Two Brothers by Crystal Allen · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Countdown to Yesterday by Shirley Marr · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).

Books like The One and Only Ruby for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

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

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