Books like Wildful

If you liked Wildful, read Duel, Between Two Brothers, or Curveball — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Wildful by Kengo Kurimoto (Middle Grade Graphic Novel · grades 4–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of nature, family, and grief. 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 4–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Wildful

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Why each is a match

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Duelgrades 4–8
Shares themes of family and grief, same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon →
Between Two Brothersgrades 4–8
Shares themes of family and grief, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon →
Curveballgrades 3–5
Shares themes of family, same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon →
Doña Quixote: Rise of the Knightgrades 3–6
Shares themes of family, same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
Four Eyes: A Graphic Novelgrades 3–7
Shares themes of family, same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
Fowl Playgrades 3–6
Shares themes of family and grief and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
Globalgrades 6–8
Shares themes of nature, same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon →
Hope in the Valleygrades 3–6
Shares themes of family and grief and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
Ruby Lost and Foundgrades 6–9
Shares themes of family and grief and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon →
The Labors of Hercules Bealgrades 3–7
Shares themes of family and grief and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →

Books like Wildful for younger readers (K–2)

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

Books like Wildful for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Dadaji's Paintbrush by Rashmi Sirdeshpande · grades K–3 — Shares themes of family and grief.
  • The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of family and healing and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of nature and family and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Amir and the Jinn Princess by M. T. Khan · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of family, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Boy 2.0 by Tracey Baptiste · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of family, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8).

Books like Wildful for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of family and healing and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of nature and family and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • Amir and the Jinn Princess by M. T. Khan · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of family, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Boy 2.0 by Tracey Baptiste · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of family, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness · grades 4–8 — Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–8).

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

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

  • Four for the Road by K.J. Reilly · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of grief and healing.
  • Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds · 720L — Shares themes of family and grief and overlapping grades (7–12).
  • The Pearl by John Steinbeck · 1010L — Shares themes of nature and family and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Shares themes of family, both on the Maine Student Book Award list, and overlapping grades (5–9).
  • Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay · grades 7–12 — Shares themes of family and overlapping grades (7–12).

Book data last updated 2026-07-07. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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