What books are similar to Of Mice and Men?

The 10 closest matches to Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck on ReadingList include The Grapes of Wrath, Flowers for Algernon, The Pearl, The Kite Runner, and The Great Gatsby. Each is scored on shared themes (friendship, loneliness, and American Dream), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 8–11), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Of Mice and Men reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 8–11), 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 Of Mice and Men

If you liked Of Mice and Men, read The Grapes of Wrath, Flowers for Algernon, or The Pearl — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (Literary Fiction · 630L · grades 8–11)? It’s most often read for its themes of friendship, loneliness, and American Dream. 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 8–11 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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The Grapes of Wrath680L: Is by John Steinbeck, the same author, shares themes of American Dream, and both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list. Amazon → books like this →
Flowers for Algernon910L: Shares themes of friendship and disability, same genre (Literary Fiction), and overlapping grades (8–11). Amazon → books like this →
The Pearl1010L: Is by John Steinbeck, the same author, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and same genre (Literary Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
The Kite Runner840L: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and same genre (Literary Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
The Great Gatsby1070L: Shares themes of American Dream, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and same genre (Literary Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
The Parker Inheritance610L: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (610L vs 630L). Amazon → books like this →
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time1090L: Shares themes of disability, same genre (Literary Fiction), and overlapping grades (8–12). Amazon → books like this →
The Color Purple670L: Same genre (Literary Fiction) and a close reading level (670L vs 630L). Amazon → books like this →
The Book Thief730L: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (730L vs 630L). Amazon → books like this →
Out of the Dust740L: Shares themes of Great Depression, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (740L vs 630L). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Of Mice and Men for younger readers (K–2)

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

Corduroy by Don Freeman · 600L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (600L vs 630L).
Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows · 580L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (580L vs 630L).
The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths · 560L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (560L vs 630L).
You're So Amazing! by James Catchpole · grades K–2 — Shares themes of friendship and disability.
Geronimo Stilton: Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye by Geronimo Stilton · 530L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (530L vs 630L).

Books like Of Mice and Men for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper · 700L — Shares themes of friendship and disability, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (700L vs 630L).
The BFG by Roald Dahl · 720L — Shares themes of friendship and loneliness, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (720L vs 630L).
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt · 550L — Shares themes of friendship and disability and a close reading level (550L vs 630L).
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo · 610L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (610L vs 630L).
Corduroy by Don Freeman · 600L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (600L vs 630L).

Books like Of Mice and Men for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper · 700L — Shares themes of friendship and disability, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (700L vs 630L).
The BFG by Roald Dahl · 720L — Shares themes of friendship and loneliness, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (720L vs 630L).
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt · 550L — Shares themes of friendship and disability and a close reading level (550L vs 630L).
Holes by Louis Sachar · 660L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (660L vs 630L).
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry · 670L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (670L vs 630L).

Books like Of Mice and Men for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton · 750L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (750L vs 630L).
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston · 1080L — Both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, same genre (Literary Fiction), and overlapping grades (10–12).
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky · 720L — Shares themes of friendship and a close reading level (720L vs 630L).
A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines · 750L — Same genre (Literary Fiction) and a close reading level (750L vs 630L).
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger · 790L — Both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, same genre (Literary Fiction), and a close reading level (790L vs 630L).

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

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