What books are similar to Arnie, the Doughnut?

The 10 closest matches to Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller on ReadingList include No More Dead Dogs, Dog Breath, The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors, Dear Mrs. LaRue, and Double Fudge. Each is scored on shared themes (humorous stories and doughnuts), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 2–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Arnie, the Doughnut reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 2–8), 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 Arnie, the Doughnut

If you liked Arnie, the Doughnut, read No More Dead Dogs, Dog Breath, or The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman — shares humorous stories

Get it on Amazon →

Affiliate link: as an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Looking for books like Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller (Humor · grades 2–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of humorous stories and doughnuts. 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 2–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

Try it on audio — free. Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

Listen free on Audiblestarts instantly

New members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Why each is a match

Amazon links below are affiliate links — as an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

No More Dead Dogsgrades 2–8: Shares themes of humorous stories, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and same genre (Humor). Amazon → books like this →
Dog Breathgrades 2–8: Shares themes of humorous stories, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and same genre (Humor). Amazon → books like this →
The Legend of Rock Paper Scissorsgrades 2–8: Shares themes of humorous stories, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and same genre (Humor). Amazon → books like this →
Dear Mrs. LaRuegrades 3–5: Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Double Fudgegrades 4–6: Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Knocked Out by Nunga-Nungasgrades 3–5: Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dudegrades 3–5: Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Banana Twistgrades 4–6: Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Daysgrades 4–6: Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
My Horrible Secretgrades 4–6: Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Arnie, the Doughnut for younger readers (K–2)

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

Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold · grades K–1 — Shares themes of humorous stories and same genre (Humor).
A Lion is a Lion by Polly Dunbar · grades K–0 — Shares themes of humorous stories and same genre (Humor).
Scat by Carl Hiaasen · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (2–8).
A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of humorous stories, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Arnie, the Doughnut for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Piggie Pie! by Margie Palatini · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–5).
Skinnybones by Barbara Park · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Ten Rules You Absolutely Must Not Break If You Want to Survive the School Bus by John Grandits · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–5).
The Sixth Grade Nickname Game by Gordon Korman · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (4–6).
When the Boys Ran the House by Joan Davenport Carris · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–6).

Books like Arnie, the Doughnut for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Skinnybones by Barbara Park · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Sixth Grade Nickname Game by Gordon Korman · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (4–6).
When the Boys Ran the House by Joan Davenport Carris · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of humorous stories, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Scat by Carl Hiaasen · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (2–8).
A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (2–8).

Common questions

What books are similar to Arnie, the Doughnut?: The 10 closest matches to Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller on ReadingList include No More Dead Dogs, Dog Breath, The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors, Dear Mrs. LaRue, and Double Fudge. Each is scored on shared themes (humorous stories and doughnuts), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 2–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Arnie, the Doughnut reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 2–8), 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.

← Back to Arnie, the Doughnut