What books are similar to Ramona the Pest?

The 10 closest matches to Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary on ReadingList include Ramona Quimby, Age 8, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, and Wonder. Each is scored on shared themes (family, school, and growing up), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 2–4), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Ramona the Pest reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 2–4), 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 the Pest

If you liked Ramona the Pest, read Ramona Quimby, Age 8, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, or Diary of a Wimpy Kid — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary (Middle Grade Fiction · 750L · grades 2–4)? It’s most often read for its themes of family, school, and growing up. 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 2–4 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Ramona Quimby, Age 8860L: Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, shares themes of family, school, and growing up, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
The Mouse and the Motorcycle860L: Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Diary of a Wimpy Kid950L: Shares themes of family, school, and growing up, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing470L: Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Wonder790L: Shares themes of family, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Maniac Magee820L: Shares themes of family, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet820L: Shares themes of family and school, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Harriet the Spygrades 4–7: Shares themes of school and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH790L: Shares themes of family, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Summer of the Monkeysgrades 4–7: Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Ramona the Pest for younger readers (K–2)

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

The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey · 720L — Shares themes of school, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and a close reading level (720L vs 750L).
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey · 730L — Shares themes of family, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (730L vs 750L).
The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of family, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–5).
Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown · 540L — Shares themes of family, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (540L vs 750L).
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle · 460L — Shares themes of growing up, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and overlapping grades (K–2).

Books like Ramona the Pest for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Rascal by Sterling North · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
Old Yeller by Fred Gipson · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown · 740L — Shares themes of family, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon · 510L — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, shares themes of growing up, and both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list.

Books like Ramona the Pest for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Rascal by Sterling North · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
Old Yeller by Fred Gipson · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown · 740L — Shares themes of family, both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon · 510L — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, shares themes of growing up, and both on the Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) list.

Books like Ramona the Pest for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Shares themes of family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and a close reading level (800L vs 750L).
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Shares themes of family and growing up and both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton · 750L — Shares themes of family, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (750L vs 750L).
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck · 680L — Shares themes of family, both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list, and a close reading level (680L vs 750L).
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds · 720L — Shares themes of family and a close reading level (720L vs 750L).

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

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