Books like Heart and Soul

If you liked Heart and Soul, read We Are the Ship, Nelson Mandela, or A Few Red Drops — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like Heart and Soul by Kadir Nelson? 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 4–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Heart and Soul

Reading the whole similar-books list? Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

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

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Why each is a match

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We Are the Shipgrades 4–8
Is by Kadir Nelson, the same author, both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Nelson Mandelagrades K–5
Is by Kadir Nelson, the same author, overlapping grades (K–5), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
A Few Red Dropsgrades 7–12
Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, overlapping grades (7–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Brown Girl Dreaming990L
Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Elijah of Buxton (Scholastic Gold)grades 5–8
Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Gaither Sisters Trilogy Collectiongrades 5–8
Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Hand in Handgrades 4–8
Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
New Kidgrades 4–8
Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
One Crazy Summer750L
Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
P.S. Be Elevengrades 5–8
Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Heart and Soul for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Copper Sun by Sharon Draper · grades 9–12 — Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list and the same era (2010s).
  • March Book Three by John Lewis · grades 9–12 — Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list and the same era (2010s).
  • Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson · grades 7–12 — Both on the Coretta Scott King Author Award list, overlapping grades (7–12), and the same era (2010s).

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

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