What books are similar to The Scrambled States of America?

The 10 closest matches to The Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller on ReadingList include Heart of a Champion, Martha Speaks, Shiloh, Shiloh Season, and Spying on Miss Müller. Each is scored on shared themes (u.s. states, united states, fiction, and state governments), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Scrambled States of America reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–6), 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 Scrambled States of America

If you liked The Scrambled States of America, read Heart of a Champion, Martha Speaks, or Shiloh — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like The Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of u.s. states, united states, fiction, and state governments. 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 3–6 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Heart of a Championgrades 6–8: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Martha Speaksgrades K–3: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Shiloh890L: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Shiloh Seasongrades 3–6: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Spying on Miss Müllergrades 6–8: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Aliens Are Coming!grades 3–6: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Arnie, the Doughnutgrades 2–8: Is by Laurie Keller, the same author and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
Black Brother, Black Brothergrades 5–8: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Can I Be Your Dog?grades K–3: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Chestergrades K–3: Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Scrambled States of America for younger readers (K–2)

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

Dandy by Ame Dyckman · grades K–3 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Except Antarctica! by Todd Sturgell · grades K–3 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Humpty-Dumpty Egg-Splodes by O'Malley, Kevin · grades K–3 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Mr. Fox's Game of "No!" by David LaRochelle · grades K–3 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea by Ben Clanton · grades K–3 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like The Scrambled States of America for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Dandy by Ame Dyckman · grades K–3 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Except Antarctica! by Todd Sturgell · grades K–3 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier · grades 3–6 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine · grades 3–6 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen · 760L — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like The Scrambled States of America for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen · grades 6–8 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8).
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier · grades 3–6 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine · grades 3–6 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen · 760L — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like The Scrambled States of America for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood · grades 9–12 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock · grades 9–12 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon · grades 9–12 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys · grades 9–12 — Both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Scrambled States of America?: The 10 closest matches to The Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller on ReadingList include Heart of a Champion, Martha Speaks, Shiloh, Shiloh Season, and Spying on Miss Müller. Each is scored on shared themes (u.s. states, united states, fiction, and state governments), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Scrambled States of America reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–6), 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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