What books are similar to Real Friends?

The 10 closest matches to Real Friends by Shannon Hale on ReadingList include All's Faire in Middle School, Crush, Giants Beware, Sidekicks, and The Cardboard Kingdom. Each is scored on shared themes (schools, best friends, and graphic novels), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 2–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Real Friends reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 2–8), 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 Real Friends

If you liked Real Friends, read All's Faire in Middle School, Crush, or Giants Beware — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Closest match: All's Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson — shares schools and graphic novels

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Looking for books like Real Friends by Shannon Hale (Graphic Novel · grades 2–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of schools, best friends, and graphic novels. 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 2–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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All's Faire in Middle Schoolgrades 4–8: Shares themes of schools and graphic novels, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Crushgrades 4–8: Shares themes of schools and graphic novels, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Giants Bewaregrades 3–5: Shares themes of graphic novels, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Sidekicksgrades 4–8: Shares themes of graphic novels, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Cardboard Kingdomgrades 4–6: Shares themes of graphic novels, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
The Great Pet Escapegrades 3–8: Shares themes of schools, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Best Friendsgrades 4–8: Is by Shannon Hale, the same author, overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Coralinegrades 3–5: Shares themes of graphic novels, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
The Last Kids on Earthgrades 3–6: Both on the South Carolina Children's Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Allergicgrades 4–6: Both on the South Carolina Children's Book Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Real Friends for younger readers (K–2)

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

When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of best friends and friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and overlapping grades (2–8).
Bone by Jeff Smith · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, same genre (Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (2–8).
No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of schools, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and overlapping grades (2–8).

Books like Real Friends for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools and friendship, both on the South Carolina Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6).
Class Act by Jerry Craft · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and same genre (Graphic Novel).
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of best friends and friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and overlapping grades (2–8).
El Deafo by Cece Bell · 420L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Wonder by R.J. Palacio · 790L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–7).

Books like Real Friends for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools and friendship, both on the South Carolina Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–6).
Class Act by Jerry Craft · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and same genre (Graphic Novel).
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of best friends and friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list, and overlapping grades (2–8).
El Deafo by Cece Bell · 420L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Wonder by R.J. Palacio · 790L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–7).

Books like Real Friends for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of graphic novels and same genre (Graphic Novel).
Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy by Faith Erin Hicks · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of graphic novels and same genre (Graphic Novel).
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of friendship and same genre (Graphic Novel).
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools.
Now Let Me Fly: A Portrait of Eugene Bullard by Ronald Wimberly · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Graphic Novel).

Common questions

What books are similar to Real Friends?: The 10 closest matches to Real Friends by Shannon Hale on ReadingList include All's Faire in Middle School, Crush, Giants Beware, Sidekicks, and The Cardboard Kingdom. Each is scored on shared themes (schools, best friends, and graphic novels), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 2–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Real Friends reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 2–8), 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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