What books are similar to Ramona and Her Father?

The 10 closest matches to Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary on ReadingList include Runaway Ralph, Dear Mr. Henshaw, Roller Girl, The Best School Year Ever, and El Deafo. Each is scored on shared themes (fathers, growing up, and elementary school), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Ramona and Her Father reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–6), 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 Ramona and Her Father

If you liked Ramona and Her Father, read Runaway Ralph, Dear Mr. Henshaw, or Roller Girl — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary

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Looking for books like Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary (Humor · grades 4–6)? It’s most often read for its themes of fathers, growing up, and elementary school. 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 4–6 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Runaway Ralphgrades 4–6: Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list, and same genre (Humor). Amazon → books like this →
Dear Mr. Henshawgrades 4–6: Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, shares themes of growing up, and both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list. Amazon → books like this →
Roller Girl440L: Shares themes of growing up, both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
The Best School Year Evergrades 3–6: Both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
El Deafo420L: Shares themes of growing up, both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Smile410L: Shares themes of growing up, both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
How to Eat Fried Wormsgrades 3–6: Both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Cook-A-Doodle-Doo!grades 3–6: Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Skinnybonesgrades 3–6: Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Ten Rules You Absolutely Must Not Break If You Want to Survive the School Busgrades 3–5: Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Ramona and Her Father for younger readers (K–2)

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

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary · 750L — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, shares themes of growing up, and both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list (+1 more shared list).
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary · 860L — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (2–4).
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt · grades K–3 — Both on the Texas Bluebonnet Award list and same genre (Humor).
Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins · grades K–0 — Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list and same genre (Humor).
The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt · grades 2–8 — Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Ramona and Her Father for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Ribsy by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list, and same genre (Humor).
Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary · 750L — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, shares themes of growing up, and both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list (+1 more shared list).
Henry and the Paper Route by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–7 — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–7 — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary · 860L — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (2–4).

Books like Ramona and Her Father for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Ribsy by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list, and same genre (Humor).
Henry and the Paper Route by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–7 — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–7 — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
Old Yeller by Fred Gipson · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of growing up, both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days by Stephen Manes · grades 4–6 — Both on the Hawai'i Nēnē Award list, same genre (Humor), and overlapping grades (4–6).

Books like Ramona and Her Father for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Shares themes of growing up and both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list.
Divergent by Veronica Roth · grades 8–12 — Both on the Land of Enchantment Book Award list (+1 more shared list).
A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh · grades 11–12 — Same genre (Humor).
Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Humor).
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky · 720L — Shares themes of growing up.

Common questions

What books are similar to Ramona and Her Father?: The 10 closest matches to Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary on ReadingList include Runaway Ralph, Dear Mr. Henshaw, Roller Girl, The Best School Year Ever, and El Deafo. Each is scored on shared themes (fathers, growing up, and elementary school), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–6), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Ramona and Her Father reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–6), 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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