Books like 1984

If you liked 1984, read Animal Farm, The Handmaid's Tale, or Fahrenheit 451 — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: Animal Farm by George Orwell — shares language and thought and propaganda

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Looking for books like 1984 by George Orwell (Dystopian Fiction · 1090L · grades 9–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of totalitarianism, surveillance, and language and thought. 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 9–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to 1984

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Why each is a match

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Animal Farm1170L
Is by George Orwell, the same author, shares themes of language and thought and propaganda, and both on the AP English Literature & Composition list (+1 more shared list). Amazon → books like this →
The Handmaid's Tale750L
Shares themes of totalitarianism, both on the AP English Literature & Composition list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Dystopian Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Fahrenheit 451890L
Shares themes of rebellion, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and same genre (Dystopian Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Anthem880L
Both on the AP English Literature & Composition list, same genre (Dystopian Fiction), and a close reading level (880L vs 1090L). Amazon → books like this →
Brave New World870L
Both on the AP English Literature & Composition list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Dystopian Fiction), and a close reading level (870L vs 1090L). Amazon → books like this →
Antigonegrades 9–12
Shares themes of individual vs state, both on the AP English Literature & Composition list, and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Pygmaliongrades 9–12
Shares themes of language and thought, both on the AP English Literature & Composition list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Sunrise on the Reapinggrades 7–12
Same genre (Dystopian Fiction) and overlapping grades (7–12). Amazon → books like this →
Unwindgrades 8–12
Same genre (Dystopian Fiction) and overlapping grades (8–12). Amazon → books like this →
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time1090L
Both on the AP English Literature & Composition list and a close reading level (1090L vs 1090L). Amazon → books like this →

Books like 1984 for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • The Giver by Lois Lowry · 760L — Both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list and same genre (Dystopian Fiction).
  • Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass · 1080L — Both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list (+1 more shared list) and a close reading level (1080L vs 1090L).
  • Frindle by Andrew Clements · 830L — Shares themes of language and thought.

Books like 1984 for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass · 1080L — Both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list (+1 more shared list) and a close reading level (1080L vs 1090L).
  • Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen · 1100L — Both on the AP English Literature & Composition list (+2 more shared lists) and a close reading level (1100L vs 1090L).
  • Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston · 1080L — Both on the AP English Literature & Composition list (+2 more shared lists) and a close reading level (1080L vs 1090L).
  • Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad · 1070L — Both on the AP English Literature & Composition list (+1 more shared list) and a close reading level (1070L vs 1090L).
  • I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou · 1070L — Both on the AP English Literature & Composition list (+2 more shared lists) and a close reading level (1070L vs 1090L).

Common questions

What books are similar to 1984?
The 10 closest matches to 1984 by George Orwell on ReadingList include Animal Farm, The Handmaid's Tale, Fahrenheit 451, Anthem, and Brave New World. Each is scored on shared themes (totalitarianism, surveillance, and language and thought), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like 1984 reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), 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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