What books are similar to Zach's Lie?

The 10 closest matches to Zach's Lie by Roland Smith on ReadingList include Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job, Hostage, Shiloh, Cryptid Hunters, and Greetings from Witness Protection!. Each is scored on shared themes (witness protection programs, drug dealers, and kidnapping), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Zach's Lie reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–8), 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 Zach's Lie

If you liked Zach's Lie, read Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job, Hostage, or Shiloh — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Zach's Lie by Roland Smith (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of witness protection programs, drug dealers, and kidnapping. 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 3–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Jobgrades 3–8: Shares themes of kidnapping, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Hostagegrades 3–8: Shares themes of kidnapping, both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Shiloh890L: Both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Cryptid Huntersgrades 5–8: Is by Roland Smith, the same author, both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Greetings from Witness Protection!grades 6–8: Shares themes of witness protection programs, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Jaguargrades 3–5: Is by Roland Smith, the same author, overlapping grades (3–5), and the same era (1990s). Amazon → books like this →
Lochgrades 3–8: Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Shiloh Seasongrades 3–6: Both on the North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Taking Terri Muellergrades 6–8: Shares themes of kidnapping, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Boys Start the Wargrades 3–8: Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Zach's Lie for younger readers (K–2)

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

How to Stay Invisible by Maggie C. Rudd · grades 2–8 — Both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Basket by George Ella Lyon · grades K–3 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (1990s).
Beware of Boys by Tony Blundell · grades K–3 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (1990s).
Copycat by Ruth Brown · grades K–3 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (1990s).
Don't Fidget a Feather! by Erica Silverman · grades K–3 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (K–3), and the same era (1990s).

Books like Zach's Lie for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

A Boy Named Queen by Sara Cassidy · grades 3–8 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
All About Sam by Lois Lowry · grades 4–6 — Both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume · grades 4–6 — Both on the North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Ava and Pip by Carol Weston · grades 3–8 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Ban This Book by Alan Gratz · grades 3–6 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).

Books like Zach's Lie for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

A Boy Named Queen by Sara Cassidy · grades 3–8 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
All About Sam by Lois Lowry · grades 4–6 — Both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume · grades 4–6 — Both on the North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Ava and Pip by Carol Weston · grades 3–8 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8).
Ban This Book by Alan Gratz · grades 3–6 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).

Books like Zach's Lie for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Girl, Stolen by April Henry · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of kidnapping and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen · grades 6–9 — Both on the North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
A Door Near Here by Heather Quarles · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (1990s).
A Time of Troubles by Pieter Van Raven · grades 5–9 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction), overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (1990s).
Armageddon Summer by Jane Yolen · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Realistic Fiction) and the same era (1990s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Zach's Lie?: The 10 closest matches to Zach's Lie by Roland Smith on ReadingList include Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job, Hostage, Shiloh, Cryptid Hunters, and Greetings from Witness Protection!. Each is scored on shared themes (witness protection programs, drug dealers, and kidnapping), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Zach's Lie reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–8), 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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