Books like Heroes
Looking for books like Heroes by Alan Gratz (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade) · grades 6–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of courage, friendship, and history. The 10 titlesbelow are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, 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 6–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.
10 books similar to Heroes
Number the StarsLois Lowry · 670L
Code Name KingfisherLiz Kessler
DogtownKatherine Applegate & Gennifer Choldenko
IcebergJennifer A. Nielsen
Impossible CreaturesKatherine Rundell
It Came from the TreesAlly Russell
Not NothingGayle Forman
Simon Sort of SaysErin Bow
SkyridersPolly Holyoke
Swim TeamJohnnie Christmas
Reading the whole similar-books list? Open any title for its Amazon listing — or listen to many of them free with a 30-day Audible trial.
As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.
Why each is a match
- Number the Stars670L
- Shares themes of courage and friendship, same genre (Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)), and overlapping grades (4–7).
- Code Name Kingfishergrades 4–8
- Shares themes of courage and history and overlapping grades (4–8).
- Dogtowngrades 3–6
- Shares themes of courage and friendship and overlapping grades (3–6).
- Iceberggrades 3–7
- Shares themes of courage and history and overlapping grades (3–7).
- Impossible Creaturesgrades 4–8
- Shares themes of courage and friendship and overlapping grades (4–8).
- It Came from the Treesgrades 3–6
- Shares themes of courage and friendship and overlapping grades (3–6).
- Not Nothinggrades 4–8
- Shares themes of friendship and history and overlapping grades (4–8).
- Simon Sort of Saysgrades 6–8
- Shares themes of courage and friendship and overlapping grades (6–8).
- Skyridersgrades 6–8
- Shares themes of courage and friendship and overlapping grades (6–8).
- Swim Teamgrades 3–7
- Shares themes of courage and friendship and overlapping grades (3–7).