What books are similar to The Pinballs?

The 10 closest matches to The Pinballs by Betsy Cromer Byars on ReadingList include The Computer Nut, Dogtown, Each Kindness, Eight Keys, and Hoot. Each is scored on shared themes (foster home care, friendship, and friendship in fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Pinballs reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–6), 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 Pinballs

If you liked The Pinballs, read The Computer Nut, Dogtown, or Each Kindness — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: The Computer Nut by Betsy Cromer Byars

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Looking for books like The Pinballs by Betsy Cromer Byars (Realistic Fiction · grades 4–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of foster home care, friendship, and friendship in fiction. 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 4–6 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Try it on audio — free. Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

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Why each is a match

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The Computer Nutgrades 4–6: Is by Betsy Cromer Byars, the same author, both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Dogtowngrades 3–6: Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Each Kindnessgrades 3–8: Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Eight Keysgrades 4–6: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Hoot760L: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Wisconsin Golden Archer Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
How to Eat Fried Wormsgrades 3–6: Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
My Dog, My Herogrades 3–5: Is by Betsy Cromer Byars, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Shoeshine Girlgrades 4–6: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Stonewords: A Ghost Storygrades 3–6: Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
The Magic of the Glitsgrades 4–8: Shares themes of friendship, both on the William Allen White Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Pinballs for younger readers (K–2)

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

The Bear and the Piano by David Litchfield · grades K–3 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Big Bad Bruce by Bill Peet · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1970s).
Don't Need Friends by Carolyn Crimi · grades K–2 — Shares themes of friendship and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
He Came With the Couch by David Slonim · grades K–3 — Shares themes of friendship and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Little Rabbit's Loose Tooth by Lucy Bate · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1970s).

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

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

The Bear and the Piano by David Litchfield · grades K–3 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Tornado by Betsy Cromer Byars · grades 3–6 — Is by Betsy Cromer Byars, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
All About Sam by Lois Lowry · grades 4–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo · 610L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+4 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–5).
Blubber by Judy Blume · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).

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

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

Tornado by Betsy Cromer Byars · grades 3–6 — Is by Betsy Cromer Byars, the same author, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
All About Sam by Lois Lowry · grades 4–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Blubber by Judy Blume · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Cracker Jackson by Betsy Cromer Byars · grades 4–8 — Is by Betsy Cromer Byars, the same author, both on the William Allen White Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
Holes by Louis Sachar · 660L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (4–7).

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

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

Breaking Boxes by A. M. Jenkins · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Define "Normal" by Julie Anne Peters · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of friendship in fiction, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Izzy, Willy-Nilly by Cynthia Voigt · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Sold by Patricia McCormick · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
The Only Alien on the Planet by Kristen D. Randle · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Pinballs?: The 10 closest matches to The Pinballs by Betsy Cromer Byars on ReadingList include The Computer Nut, Dogtown, Each Kindness, Eight Keys, and Hoot. Each is scored on shared themes (foster home care, friendship, and friendship in fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Pinballs reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–6), 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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