What books are similar to Each Kindness?

The 10 closest matches to Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson on ReadingList include Brown Girl Dreaming, Wonder, Before the Ever After, Eight Keys, and The Perfect Score. Each is scored on shared themes (schools, kindness, and friendship), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Each Kindness reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–8), 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 Each Kindness

If you liked Each Kindness, read Brown Girl Dreaming, Wonder, or Before the Ever After — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

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Looking for books like Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of schools, kindness, and friendship. 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 3–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Brown Girl Dreaming990L: Is by Jacqueline Woodson, the same author, overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Wonder790L: Shares themes of kindness and friendship, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon → books like this →
Before the Ever Aftergrades 5–8: Is by Jacqueline Woodson, the same author and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Eight Keysgrades 4–6: Shares themes of schools and friendship, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Perfect Scoregrades 3–8: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Mr. Lincoln's Waygrades 3–8: Shares themes of schools, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Shiloh Seasongrades 3–6: Shares themes of kindness, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Wild Robot740L: Shares themes of kindness and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Wishtree590L: Shares themes of kindness and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Fourth Grade Ratsgrades 4–6: Shares themes of schools and friendship, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Each Kindness for younger readers (K–2)

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

Real Friends by Shannon Hale · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of schools and friendship and overlapping grades (2–8).
Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel · 330L — Shares themes of kindness and friendship.
Night in the City by Julie Downing · grades K–2 — Shares themes of kindness.

Books like Each Kindness for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Real Friends by Shannon Hale · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of schools and friendship and overlapping grades (2–8).
Tucky Jo and Little Heart by Patricia Polacco · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of kindness, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5).
Daphne's Book by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).
Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Math Curse by Jon Scieszka · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).

Books like Each Kindness for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Real Friends by Shannon Hale · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of schools and friendship and overlapping grades (2–8).
Daphne's Book by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).
Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Math Curse by Jon Scieszka · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).
Ramona's World by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

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

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

If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 9–12 — Is by Jacqueline Woodson, the same author, shares themes of schools, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
After by Francine Prose · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Tears of A Tiger by Sharon M. Draper · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools.

Common questions

What books are similar to Each Kindness?: The 10 closest matches to Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson on ReadingList include Brown Girl Dreaming, Wonder, Before the Ever After, Eight Keys, and The Perfect Score. Each is scored on shared themes (schools, kindness, and friendship), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Each Kindness reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–8), 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.

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