Books like An American Plague
If you liked An American Plague, read The Boy's War, The Long Road to Gettysburg, or Almost Astronauts — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.
Looking for books like An American Plague by Jim Murphy? 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 6–10 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.
10 books similar to An American Plague
- The Boy's WarJim Murphy
- The Long Road to GettysburgJim Murphy
- Almost AstronautsTanya Lee Stone
- Black PotatoesSusan Campbell Bartoletti
Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous WeaponSteve Sheinkin · 920L- Kakapo RescueSy Montgomery
March Book ThreeJohn Lewis- The Girl Who Drew ButterfliesJoyce Sidman
- The Voice That Challenged a NationRussell Freedman
- The WallPeter Sís
Reading the whole similar-books list? Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.
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Try it on audio — free. 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 Boy's Wargrades 4–10
- Is by Jim Murphy, the same author and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →
- The Long Road to Gettysburggrades 4–10
- Is by Jim Murphy, the same author and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →
- Almost Astronautsgrades 5–9
- Both on the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal list, overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
- Black Potatoesgrades 6–10
- Both on the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal list, overlapping grades (6–10), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
- Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon920L
- Both on the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal list, overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
- Kakapo Rescuegrades 4–7
- Both on the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal list, overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
- March Book Threegrades 9–12
- Both on the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal list, overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
- The Girl Who Drew Butterfliesgrades 5–9
- Both on the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal list, overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
- The Voice That Challenged a Nationgrades 6–10
- Both on the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal list, overlapping grades (6–10), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
- The Wallgrades 5–9
- Both on the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal list, overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Books like An American Plague for younger readers (K–2)
Closest matches whose grade range overlaps K–2— same scoring, different audience.
- Balloons over Broadway by Melissa Sweet · grades 1–4 — Both on the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal list and the same era (2010s).
- Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard · grades K–3 — Both on the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal list and the same era (2010s).
- Funny Bones by Duncan Tonatiuh · grades 2–5 — Both on the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal list and the same era (2010s).
Books like An American Plague for elementary readers (grades 3–5)
Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 3–5— same scoring, different audience.
- Balloons over Broadway by Melissa Sweet · grades 1–4 — Both on the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal list and the same era (2010s).
- Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard · grades K–3 — Both on the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal list and the same era (2010s).
- Funny Bones by Duncan Tonatiuh · grades 2–5 — Both on the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal list and the same era (2010s).
- Twelve Days in May by Larry Dane Brimner · grades 4–8 — Both on the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal list, overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2010s).
Book data last updated 2026-07-07. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.