Books like Thirteen Ways to Sink a Sub
If you liked Thirteen Ways to Sink a Sub, read Do Bananas Chew Gum?, Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You, or Superfudge — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Closest match: Do Bananas Chew Gum? by Jamie Gilson
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Looking for books like Thirteen Ways to Sink a Sub by Jamie Gilson (Children's · grades 4–7)? 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 4–7 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.
10 books similar to Thirteen Ways to Sink a Sub
Do Bananas Chew Gum?Jamie Gilson
Sixth Grade Can Really Kill YouBarthe DeClements
SuperfudgeJudy Blume
The Dollhouse MurdersBetty Ren Wright
There's a Boy in the Girls' BathroomLouis Sachar
Bud, Not BuddyChristopher Paul Curtis · 950L
BunniculaDeborah Howe
Eleanor & ParkRainbow Rowell
HolesLouis Sachar · 660L
Maniac MageeJerry Spinelli · 820L
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Why each is a match
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- Do Bananas Chew Gum?grades 4–6
- Is by Jamie Gilson, the same author, overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (1980s). Amazon → books like this →
- Sixth Grade Can Really Kill Yougrades 3–8
- Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (3–8), and the same era (1980s). Amazon → books like this →
- Superfudgegrades 3–6
- Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (3–6), and the same era (1980s). Amazon → books like this →
- The Dollhouse Murdersgrades 4–7
- Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (1980s). Amazon → books like this →
- There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroomgrades 4–6
- Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (1980s). Amazon → books like this →
- Bud, Not Buddy950L
- Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
- Bunniculagrades 3–6
- Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
- Eleanor & Parkgrades 4–9
- Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
- Holes660L
- Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
- Maniac Magee820L
- Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
More like this
Same grade band, chosen by theme and by how many reading lists carry them. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Creepy Carrots!Aaron ReynoldsAlso Children's · on 5 reading lists
Grades 3–10 · 40 pages
Check price on Amazon →
Curlfriends: New in Town (a Graphic Novel)Sharee MillerAlso Children's · on 4 reading lists
Grades 3–8
Check price on Amazon →
Small StepsPeg KehretAlso Children's · on 4 reading lists
Grades 4–10 · 194 pages
Check price on Amazon →
Between Shades Of GrayRuta SepetysAlso Children's · on 3 reading lists
Grades 4–9 · 286 pages
Check price on Amazon →
Death in the JungleCandace FlemingAlso Children's · on 3 reading lists
Grades 4–10 · 385 pages
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Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu YeboahLaurie Ann ThompsonAlso Children's · on 3 reading lists
Grades 3–10 · 41 pages
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The Incredible JourneyBurnford SheilaAlso Children's · on 3 reading lists
Grades 4–7 · 155 pages
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The Three Billy Goats GruffMac BarnettAlso Children's · on 3 reading lists
Grades 3–10 · 48 pages
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Alchemy and Meggy SwannKaren CushmanAlso Children's · on 2 reading lists
Grades 3–10 · 197 pages
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Better Nate Than EverTim FederleAlso Children's · on 2 reading lists
Grades 4–9 · 304 pages
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Chinese MenuGrace LinAlso Children's · on 2 reading lists
Grades 3–10 · 378 pages
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Esquivel! Space-Age Sound ArtistSusan WoodAlso Children's · on 2 reading lists
Grades 3–10 · 34 pages
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Books like Thirteen Ways to Sink a Sub for elementary readers (grades 3–5)
Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 3–5— same scoring, different audience.
- Hail, Hail, Camp Timberwood by Ellen Conford · grades 4–7 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
- Ten Kids, No Pets by Ann M. Martin · grades 4–6 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
- Poppy by Avi · grades 4–9 — Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon →
- Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
- Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
Books like Thirteen Ways to Sink a Sub for middle school (grades 6–8)
Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 6–8— same scoring, different audience.
- Hail, Hail, Camp Timberwood by Ellen Conford · grades 4–7 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
- Ten Kids, No Pets by Ann M. Martin · grades 4–6 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
- Divergent by Veronica Roth · grades 8–12 — Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list (+1 more shared list). Amazon →
- Poppy by Avi · grades 4–9 — Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon →
- Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →
Books like Thirteen Ways to Sink a Sub for high school & teens (grades 9–12)
Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 9–12— same scoring, different audience.
- Eva by Peter Dickinson · grades 9–12 — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, same genre (Children's), and the same era (1980s). Amazon →
- Divergent by Veronica Roth · grades 8–12 — Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list (+1 more shared list). Amazon →
- Poppy by Avi · grades 4–9 — Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon →
Common questions
- What books are similar to Thirteen Ways to Sink a Sub?
- The 10 closest matches to Thirteen Ways to Sink a Sub by Jamie Gilson on ReadingList include Do Bananas Chew Gum?, Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You, Superfudge, The Dollhouse Murders, and There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–7), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
- Are books like Thirteen Ways to Sink a Sub reading-level appropriate?
- Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–7), 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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