What books are similar to Million-Dollar Throw?

The 10 closest matches to Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica on ReadingList include Game Changer, There's a Girl in My Hammerlock, White Water, No More Dead Dogs, and The Million Dollar Kick. Each is scored on shared themes (football, pressure, and friendship), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 5–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Million-Dollar Throw reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 5–8), 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 Million-Dollar Throw

If you liked Million-Dollar Throw, read Game Changer, There's a Girl in My Hammerlock, or White Water — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: Game Changer by Tommy Greenwald — shares football

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Looking for books like Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica (Sports Fiction · grades 5–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of football, pressure, and friendship. 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 5–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Game Changergrades 5–8: Shares themes of football, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, and same genre (Sports Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
There's a Girl in My Hammerlockgrades 6–8: Same genre (Sports Fiction) and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
White Watergrades 4–8: Same genre (Sports Fiction) and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
No More Dead Dogsgrades 2–8: Shares themes of football and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Million Dollar Kickgrades 4–6: Same genre (Sports Fiction), overlapping grades (4–6), and the same era (2000s). Amazon → books like this →
Bink & Golliegrades 2–8: Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Sports Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Tale of Despereaux670L: Both on the Blue Hen Book Award (Delaware Library Association, Youth Services Division) — Middle Readers division list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (3–6), and the same era (2000s). Amazon → books like this →
Because of Winn-Dixie610L: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Rulesgrades 4–7: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Swindlegrades 4–7: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Million-Dollar Throw for younger readers (K–2)

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

The Raft by Jim LaMarche · grades 2–3 — Same genre (Sports Fiction) and the same era (2000s).
I Ain't Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont · grades K–2 — Both on the Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and the same era (2000s).
Akiak by Robert J. Blake · grades K–3 — Same genre (Sports Fiction).
Miss Nelson Has a Field Day by Harry Allard · grades K–3 — Shares themes of football.
No More Water in the Tub by Tedd Arnold · grades K–3 — Same genre (Sports Fiction).

Books like Million-Dollar Throw for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

The Raft by Jim LaMarche · grades 2–3 — Same genre (Sports Fiction) and the same era (2000s).
A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck · grades 3–8 — Both on the Blue Hen Book Award (Delaware Library Association, Youth Services Division) — Middle Readers division list, overlapping grades (3–8), and the same era (2000s).
Akiak by Robert J. Blake · grades K–3 — Same genre (Sports Fiction).
Clementine by Sara Pennypacker · grades 3–8 — Both on the Blue Hen Book Award (Delaware Library Association, Youth Services Division) — Middle Readers division list, overlapping grades (3–8), and the same era (2000s).
Girl in a Cage by Jane Yolen · grades 3–8 — Both on the Blue Hen Book Award (Delaware Library Association, Youth Services Division) — Middle Readers division list, overlapping grades (3–8), and the same era (2000s).

Books like Million-Dollar Throw for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck · grades 3–8 — Both on the Blue Hen Book Award (Delaware Library Association, Youth Services Division) — Middle Readers division list, overlapping grades (3–8), and the same era (2000s).
Clementine by Sara Pennypacker · grades 3–8 — Both on the Blue Hen Book Award (Delaware Library Association, Youth Services Division) — Middle Readers division list, overlapping grades (3–8), and the same era (2000s).
Girl in a Cage by Jane Yolen · grades 3–8 — Both on the Blue Hen Book Award (Delaware Library Association, Youth Services Division) — Middle Readers division list, overlapping grades (3–8), and the same era (2000s).
Nightmare at the Book Fair by Dan Gutman · grades 3–8 — Both on the Blue Hen Book Award (Delaware Library Association, Youth Services Division) — Middle Readers division list, overlapping grades (3–8), and the same era (2000s).
No Talking by Andrew Clements · grades 3–8 — Both on the Blue Hen Book Award (Delaware Library Association, Youth Services Division) — Middle Readers division list, overlapping grades (3–8), and the same era (2000s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Million-Dollar Throw?: The 10 closest matches to Million-Dollar Throw by Mike Lupica on ReadingList include Game Changer, There's a Girl in My Hammerlock, White Water, No More Dead Dogs, and The Million Dollar Kick. Each is scored on shared themes (football, pressure, and friendship), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 5–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Million-Dollar Throw reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 5–8), 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.

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