Books like A First Time for Everything

If you liked A First Time for Everything, read The Aquanaut, Kareem Between, or King and the Dragonflies (Scholastic Gold) — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat? 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 4–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to A First Time for Everything

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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The Aquanautgrades 2–8
Is by Dan Santat, the same author, overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
Kareem Betweengrades 4–7
Both on the National Book Award for Young People's Literature list, overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
King and the Dragonflies (Scholastic Gold)grades 5–8
Both on the National Book Award for Young People's Literature list, overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2020s). Amazon → books like this →
1919 The Year That Changed Americagrades 7–12
Both on the National Book Award for Young People's Literature list and overlapping grades (7–12). Amazon → books like this →
A Tale Dark and Grimmgrades 4–7
Both on the Charlotte Award list and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Because of Winn-Dixie610L
Both on the Charlotte Award list and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Brown Girl Dreaming990L
Both on the National Book Award for Young People's Literature list and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Claudette Colvingrades 6–10
Both on the National Book Award for Young People's Literature list and overlapping grades (6–10). Amazon → books like this →
Goblin Secretsgrades 4–7
Both on the National Book Award for Young People's Literature list and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone880L
Both on the Charlotte Award list and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →

Book data last updated 2026-08-11. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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