What books are similar to Ella Enchanted?

The 10 closest matches to Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine on ReadingList include Running Out of Time, The Indian in the Cupboard, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Shiloh, and Eragon. Each is scored on shared themes (courage, fairy-tale, and independence), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–7), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Ella Enchanted reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–7), 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 Ella Enchanted

If you liked Ella Enchanted, read Running Out of Time, The Indian in the Cupboard, or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix

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Looking for books like Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (Fantasy · grades 4–7)? It’s most often read for its themes of courage, fairy-tale, and independence. 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 4–7 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Running Out of Timegrades 3–8: Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Indian in the Cupboardgrades 3–6: Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone880L: Shares themes of courage, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Shiloh890L: Shares themes of courage, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+5 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Eragongrades 6–9: Shares themes of courage, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Fantasy). Amazon → books like this →
Gregor the Overlandergrades 4–7: Shares themes of courage, both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and same genre (Fantasy). Amazon → books like this →
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabangrades 4–8: Both on the Maine Student Book Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
A Tale Dark and Grimmgrades 4–7: Shares themes of courage, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Fantasy). Amazon → books like this →
Number the Stars670L: Shares themes of courage, both on the Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Book Award list (+3 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
The Tale of Despereaux670L: Shares themes of courage, both on the Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Ella Enchanted for younger readers (K–2)

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

Enchanted Wood by Ruth Sanderson · grades K–3 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and the same era (1990s).
Trouble with Trolls by Jan Brett · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and the same era (1990s).
Zomo the Rabbit by Gerald McDermott · grades K–3 — Both on the Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and the same era (1990s).
Eyes of the Dragon by Margaret Leaf · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Fantasy).
How Droofus the Dragon Lost His Head by Bill Peet · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Fantasy).

Books like Ella Enchanted for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Enchanted Wood by Ruth Sanderson · grades K–3 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and the same era (1990s).
Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville · grades 4–6 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Trouble with Trolls by Jan Brett · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and the same era (1990s).
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of courage, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–6).
The 13th Floor: A Ghost Story by Sid Fleischman · grades 4–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Ella Enchanted for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville · grades 4–6 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–6).
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of courage, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–6).
The 13th Floor: A Ghost Story by Sid Fleischman · grades 4–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis · 950L — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+2 more shared lists), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (1990s).
Holes by Louis Sachar · 660L — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+5 more shared lists), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (1990s).

Books like Ella Enchanted for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of courage and same genre (Fantasy).
Lore by Alexandra Bracken · grades 9–12 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and same genre (Fantasy).
Cinder by Marissa Meyer · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Fantasy).
The Darkangel by Meredith Ann Pierce · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Fantasy).
Watership Down by Richard Adams · grades 9–12 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list and same genre (Fantasy).

Common questions

What books are similar to Ella Enchanted?: The 10 closest matches to Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine on ReadingList include Running Out of Time, The Indian in the Cupboard, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Shiloh, and Eragon. Each is scored on shared themes (courage, fairy-tale, and independence), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–7), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Ella Enchanted reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–7), 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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