What books are similar to Ferris?

The 10 closest matches to Ferris by Kate DiCamillo on ReadingList include Dear Mr. Henshaw, Mercy Watson to the Rescue, The Cybil War, Front Desk, and Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All. Each is scored on shared themes (family, humor, and growing up), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Ferris reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–6), 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 Ferris

If you liked Ferris, read Dear Mr. Henshaw, Mercy Watson to the Rescue, or The Cybil War — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Ferris by Kate DiCamillo (Realistic Fiction · grades 3–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of family, humor, and growing up. 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 3–6 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Dear Mr. Henshawgrades 4–6: Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Mercy Watson to the Rescue450L: Is by Kate DiCamillo, the same author, shares themes of family and humor, and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
The Cybil Wargrades 3–6: Shares themes of humor and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Front Desk640L: Shares themes of family, both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Magnolia Wu Unfolds It Allgrades 3–6: Shares themes of family and humor, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Stuntboy, In-Between Timegrades 3–6: Shares themes of family and humor, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Walk Two Moons770L: Shares themes of family, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Because of Winn-Dixie610L: Is by Kate DiCamillo, the same author, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Diary of a Wimpy Kid950L: Shares themes of family, humor, and growing up and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon → books like this →
Dogtowngrades 3–6: Shares themes of humor, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Ferris for younger readers (K–2)

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

Ida B. and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of family, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary · 750L — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (2–4).
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume · 470L — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (2–5).
Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo · grades 2–8 — Is by Kate DiCamillo, the same author, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (2–8).
How Dinosaurs Went Extinct: A Safety Guide by Ame Dyckman · grades K–2 — Shares themes of family and humor.

Books like Ferris for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Invisible Isabel by Sally J. Pla · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Stand Up, Yumi Chung by Jessica Kim · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of family, both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo · 670L — Is by Kate DiCamillo, the same author, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–6).
A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of humor, both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of family, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like Ferris for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Invisible Isabel by Sally J. Pla · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Stand Up, Yumi Chung by Jessica Kim · grades 4–7 — Shares themes of family, both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo · 670L — Is by Kate DiCamillo, the same author, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–6).
A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of humor, both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–6).

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

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

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Shares themes of family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–9).
Ruby Lost and Found by Christina Li · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).

Book data last updated 2026-07-07. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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