Books like Red Midnight

If you liked Red Midnight, read Cryptid Hunters, Touching Spirit Bear, or Hatchet — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Red Midnight by Ben Mikaelsen (Adventure · grades 3–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of emigration and immigration, kayaks, and kayaks and kayaking. 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 3–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Red Midnight

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Why each is a match

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Cryptid Huntersgrades 5–8
Shares themes of survival, both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, and same genre (Adventure). Amazon → books like this →
Touching Spirit Beargrades 6–9
Is by Ben Mikaelsen, the same author, shares themes of survival, and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Hatchet1020L
Shares themes of survival, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Call of the Wild1120L
Shares themes of survival, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (6–10). Amazon → books like this →
The Rivergrades 5–8
Shares themes of survival, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Two Degreesgrades 5–8
Shares themes of survival, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Unwindgrades 8–12
Shares themes of survival, both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, and overlapping grades (8–12). Amazon → books like this →
A Wolf Called Wandergrades 4–6
Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon → books like this →
Crashgrades 3–8
Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Flight #116 Is Down!grades 3–8
Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Red Midnight for younger readers (K–2)

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

Books like Red Midnight for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Loot by Jude Watson · grades 3–8 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of survival and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Geronimo Stilton: Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye by Geronimo Stilton · 530L — Same genre (Adventure), overlapping grades (2–5), and the same era (2000s).
  • Nightmare at the Book Fair by Dan Gutman · grades 3–8 — Same genre (Adventure), overlapping grades (3–8), and the same era (2000s).
  • The End of the Beginning by Avi · grades 4–8 — Same genre (Adventure), overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2000s).

Books like Red Midnight for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Loot by Jude Watson · grades 3–8 — Both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, same genre (Adventure), and overlapping grades (3–8).
  • The Doom Stone by Paul Zindel · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of survival, both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of survival and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • Nightmare at the Book Fair by Dan Gutman · grades 3–8 — Same genre (Adventure), overlapping grades (3–8), and the same era (2000s).
  • The End of the Beginning by Avi · grades 4–8 — Same genre (Adventure), overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2000s).

Books like Red Midnight for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • The Doom Stone by Paul Zindel · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of survival, both on the Nevada Young Readers' Award list, and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • Life of Pi by Yann Martel · 830L — Shares themes of survival.
  • The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins · 810L — Shares themes of survival and overlapping grades (6–9).
  • How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of survival.
  • Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of survival.

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

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