What books are similar to Rascal?

The 10 closest matches to Rascal by Sterling North on ReadingList include Summer of the Monkeys, Old Yeller, The Trumpet of the Swan, Hatchet, and Roller Girl. Each is scored on shared themes (nature, animals, and family), 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 Rascal 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 Rascal

If you liked Rascal, read Summer of the Monkeys, Old Yeller, or The Trumpet of the Swan — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls — shares nature and animals

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Looking for books like Rascal by Sterling North (Middle Grade Fiction · grades 5–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of nature, animals, and family. 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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Summer of the Monkeysgrades 4–7: Shares themes of nature, animals, and family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Old Yellergrades 5–8: Shares themes of animals, 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 →
The Trumpet of the Swangrades 3–6: Shares themes of nature, animals, and family, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Hatchet1020L: Shares themes of nature and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Roller Girl440L: Shares themes of growing up and perseverance, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Harriet the Spygrades 4–7: Shares themes of growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Diary of a Wimpy Kid950L: Shares themes of family and growing up, 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 →
Maniac Magee820L: Shares themes of family, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Pax760L: Shares themes of nature, both on the William Allen White Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Bud, Not Buddy950L: Shares themes of family and perseverance, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Rascal for younger readers (K–2)

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

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary · 750L — 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).
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary · 860L — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and the same era (1960s).
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle · 460L — Shares themes of nature and growing up.
Wild Blue: Taming a Big-Kid Bike by Dashka Slater · grades K–2 — Shares themes of growing up and perseverance.
Butt or Face? by Kari Lavelle · grades K–2 — Shares themes of nature and animals.

Books like Rascal for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary · 750L — 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).
Holes by Louis Sachar · 660L — Both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+3 more shared lists), same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary · 860L — Both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and the same era (1960s).
Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Operation Final Notice by Matthew Landis · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of family and perseverance, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).

Books like Rascal for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Holes by Louis Sachar · 660L — Both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+3 more shared lists), same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Operation Final Notice by Matthew Landis · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of family and perseverance, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).
Smile by Raina Telgemeier · 410L — Shares themes of growing up, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–8).
Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).

Books like Rascal 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 (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (5–9).
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (7–10).
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins · 810L — Both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists) and overlapping grades (6–9).
The Pearl by John Steinbeck · 1010L — Shares themes of nature and family and overlapping grades (6–9).
Eragon by Christopher Paolini · grades 6–9 — Both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (6–9).

Common questions

What books are similar to Rascal?: The 10 closest matches to Rascal by Sterling North on ReadingList include Summer of the Monkeys, Old Yeller, The Trumpet of the Swan, Hatchet, and Roller Girl. Each is scored on shared themes (nature, animals, and family), 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 Rascal 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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