Books like The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Looking for books like The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (Young Adult Fiction · 720L · grades 9–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of coming of age, mental health, and friendship. 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 9–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Why each is a match

Speak690L
Shares themes of mental health, same genre (Young Adult Fiction), and a close reading level (690L vs 720L).
The Outsiders750L
Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Young Adult Fiction), and a close reading level (750L vs 720L).
The Poet X800L
Shares themes of coming of age, same genre (Young Adult Fiction), and a close reading level (800L vs 720L).
The Fault in Our Stars850L
Shares themes of coming of age, same genre (Young Adult Fiction), and a close reading level (850L vs 720L).
Monster670L
Same genre (Young Adult Fiction), a close reading level (670L vs 720L), and the same era (1990s).
American Born Chinese530L
Shares themes of coming of age, same genre (Young Adult Fiction), and a close reading level (530L vs 720L).
Long Way Down720L
Same genre (Young Adult Fiction) and a close reading level (720L vs 720L).
The Book Thief730L
Shares themes of friendship and a close reading level (730L vs 720L).
Ender's Game780L
Same genre (Young Adult Fiction) and a close reading level (780L vs 720L).
The Catcher in the Rye790L
Shares themes of mental health and a close reading level (790L vs 720L).

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