What books are similar to The Perfect Score?

The 10 closest matches to The Perfect Score by Rob Buyea on ReadingList include Eight Keys, Because of Mr. Terupt, All's Faire in Middle School, Crush, and Each Kindness. Each is scored on shared themes (examinations, cheating, and middle schools), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Perfect Score reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–8), 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.

Books like The Perfect Score

If you liked The Perfect Score, read Eight Keys, Because of Mr. Terupt, or All's Faire in Middle School — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like The Perfect Score by Rob Buyea (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of examinations, cheating, and middle schools. 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 3–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Eight Keysgrades 4–6: Shares themes of middle schools and schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Because of Mr. Teruptgrades 3–5: Is by Rob Buyea, the same author, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
All's Faire in Middle Schoolgrades 4–8: Shares themes of middle schools and schools and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Crushgrades 4–8: Shares themes of middle schools and schools and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Each Kindnessgrades 3–8: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Gingerbread Man Loose in the Schoolgrades K–3: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
The Strange Case of Origami Yodagrades 4–6: Shares themes of middle schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
A Fine, Fine Schoolgrades K–3: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Backlashgrades 3–8: Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Call Me Hopegrades 3–5: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Perfect Score for younger readers (K–2)

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

Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman · grades 2–3 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–3).
Herbie's Troubles by Carol Chapman · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Miss Nelson Has a Field Day by Harry Allard · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Miss Nelson Is Back by Harry Allard · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like The Perfect Score for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Class Clown by Johanna Hurwitz · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5).
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman · grades 2–3 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–3).
Daphne's Book by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).
Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like The Perfect Score for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Daphne's Book by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8).

Books like The Perfect Score for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

After by Francine Prose · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt · grades 7–10 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Perfect Score?: The 10 closest matches to The Perfect Score by Rob Buyea on ReadingList include Eight Keys, Because of Mr. Terupt, All's Faire in Middle School, Crush, and Each Kindness. Each is scored on shared themes (examinations, cheating, and middle schools), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Perfect Score reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–8), 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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