Books like Full Tilt

If you liked Full Tilt, read Unwind, Challenger Deep, or A Sudden Silence — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: Unwind by Neal Shusterman

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 Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman (Horror · grades 9–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of brothers, carnivals in fiction, and carnivals. 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 9–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Full Tilt

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.

Unwindgrades 8–12
Is by Neal Shusterman, the same author, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and overlapping grades (8–12). Amazon → books like this →
Challenger Deepgrades 9–12
Is by Neal Shusterman, the same author and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
A Sudden Silencegrades 9–12
Shares themes of brothers and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Breaking Boxesgrades 9–12
Shares themes of brothers and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Night Kitesgrades 9–12
Shares themes of brothers and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Breathing Underwatergrades 9–12
Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2000s). Amazon → books like this →
Define "Normal"grades 9–12
Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2000s). Amazon → books like this →
Hanging on to Maxgrades 9–12
Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2000s). Amazon → books like this →
My Sister's Keepergrades 9–12
Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2000s). Amazon → books like this →
Twilightgrades 9–12
Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2000s). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Full Tilt for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • It Came from the Trees by Ally Russell · grades 3–6 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and same genre (Horror).
  • 7 X 9 = Trouble by Claudia Mills · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of brothers.
  • All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 5–8 — Same genre (Horror) and the same era (2000s).
  • Double Fudge by Judy Blume · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of brothers.
  • Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of self-perception.

Books like Full Tilt for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • It Came from the Trees by Ally Russell · grades 3–6 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and same genre (Horror).
  • Night Terrors by Murphy, Jim · grades 6–8 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and same genre (Horror).
  • There's a Dead Person Following My Sister Around by Vivian Vande Velde · grades 6–8 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list and same genre (Horror).
  • When by Laurie McBain · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of brothers and both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list.
  • 12 Again by Sue Corbett · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of brothers.

Common questions

What books are similar to Full Tilt?
The 10 closest matches to Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman on ReadingList include Unwind, Challenger Deep, A Sudden Silence, Breaking Boxes, and Night Kites. Each is scored on shared themes (brothers, carnivals in fiction, and carnivals), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Full Tilt reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), 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 Full Tilt

Browse by another angle

Find ReadingList in your Google results more often: