Books like Where the Red Fern Grows

Looking for books like Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (Children's Fiction · 700L · grades 4–7)? It’s most often read for its themes of boy-and-dog bond, rural self-reliance, and perseverance. The 10 titlesbelow are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, 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 Where the Red Fern Grows

Why each is a match

Long Way Down720L
Shares themes of grief and family and a close reading level (720L vs 700L).
The Crossover750L
Shares themes of grief and family and a close reading level (750L vs 700L).
Walk Two Moons770L
Shares themes of grief and family and a close reading level (770L vs 700L).
Rebound780L
Shares themes of family and coming of age and a close reading level (780L vs 700L).
Ramona the Pest750L
Shares themes of family and a close reading level (750L vs 700L).
The Outsiders750L
Shares themes of family and a close reading level (750L vs 700L).
Dragonwings870L
Shares themes of perseverance and family and a close reading level (870L vs 700L).
Bud, Not Buddy950L
Shares themes of perseverance and family and a close reading level (950L vs 700L).
The Watsons Go to Birmingham—19631000L
Shares themes of family and coming of age and overlapping grades (5–8).
Little Women1300L
Shares themes of family and coming of age and overlapping grades (7–10).

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