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, New Kid, and Restart. 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.

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.

Reading the whole similar-books list? Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

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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 →
Because of Mr. Teruptgrades 3–5: Both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (3–5), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
The War That Saved My Life580L: Both on the Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s). Amazon →

Books like Wish for younger readers (K–2)

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

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).
Dog Man by Dav Pilkey · 390L — Both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, overlapping grades (2–5), 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.

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).
Please Write in this Book by Mary Amato · grades 3–5 — Both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (3–5).

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

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

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).
Stolen Children by Peg Kehret · grades 4–6 — Both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (4–6).

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

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

Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Both on the Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award list and the same era (2010s).
Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Both on the Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award list, overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (2010s).
The Wall by Peter Sís · grades 5–9 — Both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (2010s).

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

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