What books are similar to Lulu's Mysterious Mission?

The 10 closest matches to Lulu's Mysterious Mission by Judith Viorst on ReadingList include My Explosive Diary, Say What?, Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job, Class Clown, and Fourth Grade Rats. Each is scored on shared themes (babysitters, conduct of life, and behavior), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 2–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Lulu's Mysterious Mission reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 2–8), 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 Lulu's Mysterious Mission

If you liked Lulu's Mysterious Mission, read My Explosive Diary, Say What?, or Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: My Explosive Diary by Emily Gale — shares spies

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 Lulu's Mysterious Mission by Judith Viorst (Realistic Fiction · grades 2–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of babysitters, conduct of life, and behavior. 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 2–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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.

My Explosive Diarygrades 2–8: Shares themes of spies, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Say What?grades 2–8: Shares themes of conduct of life, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Jobgrades 3–8: Shares themes of babysitters, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Class Clowngrades 3–5: Shares themes of behavior, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Fourth Grade Ratsgrades 4–6: Shares themes of conduct of life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Henry Reed's Babysitting Servicegrades 4–6: Shares themes of babysitters, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Shoeshine Girlgrades 4–6: Shares themes of behavior, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Gollywhopper Gamesgrades 3–8: Shares themes of conduct of life, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Daysgrades 4–6: Shares themes of behavior and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Crashgrades 3–8: Shares themes of conduct of life and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Lulu's Mysterious Mission for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Front Desk by Kelly Yang · 640L — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7).
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes · 360L — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Here Comes the Garbage Barge by Jonah Winter · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger · grades 4–6 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Lulu's Mysterious Mission for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
Front Desk by Kelly Yang · 640L — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7).
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes · 360L — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Here Comes the Garbage Barge by Jonah Winter · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8).
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger · grades 4–6 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Lulu's Mysterious Mission for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul by Jack Canfield · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of conduct of life and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of conduct of life and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of conduct of life and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
All We Have Left by Wendy Mills · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of conduct of life.

Common questions

What books are similar to Lulu's Mysterious Mission?: The 10 closest matches to Lulu's Mysterious Mission by Judith Viorst on ReadingList include My Explosive Diary, Say What?, Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job, Class Clown, and Fourth Grade Rats. Each is scored on shared themes (babysitters, conduct of life, and behavior), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 2–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Lulu's Mysterious Mission reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 2–8), 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 Lulu's Mysterious Mission