Books like Wish

If you liked Wish, read 11 Birthdays, Because of Mr. Terupt, or Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Wish by Barbara O'Connor? 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 3–5 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Wish

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Why each is a match

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11 Birthdaysgrades 3–5
Both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (3–5), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Because of Mr. Teruptgrades 3–5
Both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (3–5), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Librarygrades 4–6
Both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
How to Steal a Doggrades 3–5
Is by Barbara O'Connor, the same author and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
New Kidgrades 4–8
Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Restart730L
Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Small Spacesgrades 3–5
Both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (3–5), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Swindlegrades 4–7
Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
The Best School Year Evergrades 3–6
Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (3–6), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
The Invention of Hugo Cabretgrades 3–7
Both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (3–7), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Wish for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • A Green Place to be by Ashley Benham Yazdani · grades K–5 — Both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, overlapping grades (K–5), and the same era (2010s).
  • Are You Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems · grades K–2 — Both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list and the same era (2010s).
  • Balloons over Broadway by Melissa Sweet · grades 1–4 — Both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, overlapping grades (1–4), and the same era (2010s).
  • Bink and Gollie: Two for One by Kate DiCamillo · grades K–2 — Both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list and the same era (2010s).
  • Charlie & Mouse Even Better by Laurel Snyder · grades K–2 — Both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list and the same era (2010s).

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

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

  • The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley · 580L — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s).
  • Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Attaboy, Sam! by Lois Lowry · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo · 610L — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (3–5).
  • Four Eyes: A Graphic Novel by Rex Ogle · grades 3–7 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (3–7).

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

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

  • The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley · 580L — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s).
  • Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Attaboy, Sam! by Lois Lowry · grades 4–6 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (4–6).
  • Four Eyes: A Graphic Novel by Rex Ogle · grades 3–7 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (3–7).
  • Saving Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · grades 4–7 — Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (4–7).

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

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

  • A Snicker of Magic (Scholastic Gold) by Natalie Lloyd · grades 3–10 — Both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, overlapping grades (3–10), and the same era (2010s).
  • Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman · grades 3–10 — Both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, overlapping grades (3–10), and the same era (2010s).
  • Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi · grades 5–12 — Both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, overlapping grades (5–12), and the same era (2010s).
  • Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Both on the Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award list and the same era (2010s).
  • Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson · grades 3–10 — Both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, overlapping grades (3–10), and the same era (2010s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Wish?
The 10 closest matches to Wish by Barbara O'Connor on ReadingList include 11 Birthdays, Because of Mr. Terupt, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, How to Steal a Dog, and New Kid. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–5), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Wish reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–5), 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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