Books like The Outsiders

Looking for books like The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (Young Adult Fiction · 750L · grades 7–9)? It’s most often read for its themes of class conflict, friendship, and loyalty. 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 7–9 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to The Outsiders

Why each is a match

Walk Two Moons770L
Shares themes of friendship, family, and identity and a close reading level (770L vs 750L).
Long Way Down720L
Shares themes of family and violence, same genre (Young Adult Fiction), and a close reading level (720L vs 750L).
The Poet X800L
Shares themes of family and identity, same genre (Young Adult Fiction), and a close reading level (800L vs 750L).
The Crossover750L
Shares themes of family and identity and a close reading level (750L vs 750L).
Pax760L
Shares themes of friendship and loyalty and a close reading level (760L vs 750L).
Ender's Game780L
Shares themes of identity, same genre (Young Adult Fiction), and a close reading level (780L vs 750L).
The Perks of Being a Wallflower720L
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Young Adult Fiction), and a close reading level (720L vs 750L).
Wonder790L
Shares themes of friendship and family and a close reading level (790L vs 750L).
Out of My Mind700L
Shares themes of friendship and family and a close reading level (700L vs 750L).
Speak690L
Shares themes of identity, same genre (Young Adult Fiction), and a close reading level (690L vs 750L).

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