Books like A Boy Called Bat
Looking for books like A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–5)? It’s most often read for its themes of neurodiversity, animals, and family. The 10 titlesbelow are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, 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 A Boy Called Bat
CrenshawKatherine Applegate
Front DeskKelly Yang · 640L
Ghost BoysJewell Parker Rhodes · 360L
Mick Harte Was HereBarbara Park
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote SunriseDan Gemeinhart
The Thing About LeftoversC.C. Payne
The Vanderbeekers of 141st StreetKarina Yan Glaser
Dear Mr. HenshawBeverly Cleary
FerrisKate DiCamillo
Hope in the ValleyMitali Perkins
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Why each is a match
- Crenshawgrades 3–6
- Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
- Front Desk640L
- Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7).
- Ghost Boys360L
- Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).
- Mick Harte Was Heregrades 5–8
- Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
- The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrisegrades 5–8
- Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
- The Thing About Leftoversgrades 4–7
- Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).
- The Vanderbeekers of 141st Streetgrades 3–6
- Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
- Dear Mr. Henshawgrades 4–6
- Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
- Ferrisgrades 3–6
- Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
- Hope in the Valleygrades 3–6
- Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).