What books are similar to Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning?

The 10 closest matches to Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning by Danette Haworth on ReadingList include Hostage, A Fine, Fine School, And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon, Backlash, and Boxes for Katje. Each is scored on shared themes (neighbors, summer, and lightning), 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 Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning 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 Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning

If you liked Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning, read Hostage, A Fine, Fine School, or And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning by Danette Haworth (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of neighbors, summer, and lightning. 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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Hostagegrades 3–8: Shares themes of neighbors, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
A Fine, Fine Schoolgrades K–3: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoongrades 3–8: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Backlashgrades 3–8: Shares themes of neighbors, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Boxes for Katjegrades 3–8: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Christopher Mouse: The Tale of a Small Travelergrades 3–6: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Each Little Bird That Singsgrades 3–6: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Hattie Big Skygrades 6–8: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Henry's Freedom Boxgrades 3–6: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Hooway for Wodney Watgrades K–3: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning for younger readers (K–2)

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

I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Millie Waits for the Mail by Alexander Steffensmeier · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook by Michael Garland · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
John, Paul, George and Ben by Lane Smith · grades 3–5 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5).
Millie Waits for the Mail by Alexander Steffensmeier · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Miss Smith's Incredible Storybook by Michael Garland · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Mr. Lincoln's Way by Patricia Polacco · grades 3–8 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Mr. Maxwell's Mouse by Frank Asch · grades 3–8 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
No Talking by Andrew Clements · grades 3–8 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Owney: The Mail-Pouch Pooch by Mona Kerby · grades 3–8 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
The Giant Slayer by Iain Lawrence · grades 3–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).

Books like Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of best friends and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
After by Francine Prose · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
Define "Normal" by Julie Anne Peters · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
Shattering Glass by Gail Giles · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
Sold by Patricia McCormick · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning?: The 10 closest matches to Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning by Danette Haworth on ReadingList include Hostage, A Fine, Fine School, And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon, Backlash, and Boxes for Katje. Each is scored on shared themes (neighbors, summer, and lightning), 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 Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning 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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