Books like Watership Down

If you liked Watership Down, read Cinder, Downriver, or Pursuit — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Watership Down by Richard Adams (Fantasy · grades 9–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of rabbits, adventure and adventurers, and open library staff picks. 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 9–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Watership Down

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Why each is a match

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Cindergrades 9–12
Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Downrivergrades 9–12
Shares themes of survival, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Pursuitgrades 9–12
Shares themes of survival, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Refugee800L
Shares themes of survival, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (5–9). Amazon → books like this →
Salt to the Sea560L
Shares themes of survival, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (8–12). Amazon → books like this →
The Darkangelgrades 9–12
Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
The Hunger Games810L
Shares themes of survival, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Touching Spirit Beargrades 6–9
Shares themes of survival, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
A Farewell to Armsgrades 11–12
Shares themes of open library staff picks and overlapping grades (11–12). Amazon → books like this →
A Fate So Coldgrades 7–12
Same genre (Fantasy) and overlapping grades (7–12). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Watership Down for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • How Droofus the Dragon Lost His Head by Bill Peet · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Fantasy), and the same era (1970s).
  • Little Rabbit's Loose Tooth by Lucy Bate · grades K–3 — Shares themes of rabbits and both on the California Young Reader Medal list.
  • Eyes of the Dragon by Margaret Leaf · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Fantasy).
  • Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming · grades K–3 — Shares themes of rabbits and both on the California Young Reader Medal list.
  • Big Bad Bruce by Bill Peet · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and the same era (1970s).

Books like Watership Down for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers · grades 4–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Fantasy), and the same era (1970s).
  • How Droofus the Dragon Lost His Head by Bill Peet · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Fantasy), and the same era (1970s).
  • Little Rabbit's Loose Tooth by Lucy Bate · grades K–3 — Shares themes of rabbits and both on the California Young Reader Medal list.
  • Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine · grades 4–7 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Fantasy).
  • Eyes of the Dragon by Margaret Leaf · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Fantasy).

Books like Watership Down for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers · grades 4–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Fantasy), and the same era (1970s).
  • 12 Again by Sue Corbett · grades 6–8 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Fantasy).
  • Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine · grades 4–7 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Fantasy).
  • Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass · grades 6–8 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Fantasy).
  • Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger · grades 4–8 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Fantasy).

Books like Watership Down for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • A Summer to Die by Lois Lowry · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (1970s).
  • As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner · grades 11–12 — Shares themes of open library staff picks and overlapping grades (11–12).
  • Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Fantasy) and overlapping grades (9–12).
  • Eragon by Christopher Paolini · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Fantasy) and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • Everless by Sara Holland · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Fantasy) and overlapping grades (9–12).

Common questions

What books are similar to Watership Down?
The 10 closest matches to Watership Down by Richard Adams on ReadingList include Cinder, Downriver, Pursuit, Refugee, and Salt to the Sea. Each is scored on shared themes (rabbits, adventure and adventurers, and open library staff picks), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Watership Down reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), 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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