What books are similar to Herbie's Troubles?

The 10 closest matches to Herbie's Troubles by Carol Chapman on ReadingList include Never Spit on Your Shoes, Mr. Tanen's Ties, Rotten Teeth, The Toll-Bridge Troll, and Big Bad Bruce. Each is scored on shared themes (schools, bullies, and schools, fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades K–3), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Herbie's Troubles reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades K–3), 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 Herbie's Troubles

If you liked Herbie's Troubles, read Never Spit on Your Shoes, Mr. Tanen's Ties, or Rotten Teeth — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: Never Spit on Your Shoes by Denys Cazet — shares schools and schools, fiction

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Looking for books like Herbie's Troubles by Carol Chapman (Realistic Fiction · grades K–3)? It’s most often read for its themes of schools, bullies, and schools, fiction. 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 K–3 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Never Spit on Your Shoesgrades K–3: Shares themes of schools and schools, fiction, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Mr. Tanen's Tiesgrades K–3: Shares themes of schools and schools, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Rotten Teethgrades K–3: Shares themes of schools and schools, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
The Toll-Bridge Trollgrades K–3: Shares themes of schools and schools, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Big Bad Brucegrades K–3: Shares themes of bullies, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Miss Nelson Has a Field Daygrades K–3: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Miss Nelson Is Backgrades K–3: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
A Fine, Fine Schoolgrades K–3: Shares themes of schools, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
The Recess Queengrades K–3: Shares themes of bullies, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Class Clowngrades 3–5: Shares themes of schools and schools, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Herbie's Troubles for younger readers (K–2)

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

Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman · grades 2–3 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–3).
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like Herbie's Troubles for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Daphne's Book by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Trading Places with Tank Talbott by Dori Hillestad Butler · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of bullies and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa by Erica Silverman · grades 2–3 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–3).
Eight Keys by Suzanne M. LaFleur · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Herbie's Troubles for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Daphne's Book by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of schools, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Trading Places with Tank Talbott by Dori Hillestad Butler · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of bullies and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Alabama Moon by Watt Key · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of bullies and both on the California Young Reader Medal list.
Eight Keys by Suzanne M. LaFleur · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Herbie's Troubles for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

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).
If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools 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).
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools, fiction.

Common questions

What books are similar to Herbie's Troubles?: The 10 closest matches to Herbie's Troubles by Carol Chapman on ReadingList include Never Spit on Your Shoes, Mr. Tanen's Ties, Rotten Teeth, The Toll-Bridge Troll, and Big Bad Bruce. Each is scored on shared themes (schools, bullies, and schools, fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades K–3), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Herbie's Troubles reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades K–3), 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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