Books like Rotten Teeth

If you liked Rotten Teeth, read Mr. Tanen's Ties, Never Spit on Your Shoes, or The Toll-Bridge Troll — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Closest match: Mr. Tanen's Ties by Maryann Cocca-Leffler — shares schools and schools, fiction

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Looking for books like Rotten Teeth by Laura Simms (Realistic Fiction · grades K–3)? It’s most often read for its themes of schools, show-and-tell presentations, and schools, fiction. 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 K–3 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Rotten Teeth

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Why each is a match

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Mr. Tanen's Tiesgrades K–3
Shares themes of schools and schools, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Never Spit on Your Shoesgrades K–3
Shares themes of schools and schools, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
The Toll-Bridge Trollgrades K–3
Shares themes of schools and schools, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Herbie's Troublesgrades K–3
Shares themes of schools and schools, fiction, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Lilly's Purple Plastic Pursegrades K–3
Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Just Another Ordinary Daygrades K–3
Shares themes of schools, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
A Fine, Fine Schoolgrades K–3
Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoagrades 2–3
Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–3). Amazon → books like this →
Miss Nelson Has a Field Daygrades K–3
Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Miss Nelson Is Backgrades K–3
Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Rotten Teeth for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • Double Trouble in Walla Walla by Andrew Clements · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • Go Away, Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • Harvey Potter's Balloon Farm by Jerdine Nolen · grades K–3 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like Rotten Teeth 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, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • The Sixth Grade Nickname Game by Gordon Korman · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools and both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list.
  • Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Math Curse by Jon Scieszka · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Rotten Teeth 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, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • The Sixth Grade Nickname Game by Gordon Korman · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools and both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list.
  • Flying Solo by Ralph J. Fletcher · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like Rotten Teeth for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • Tears of A Tiger by Sharon M. Draper · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
  • One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools, fiction and both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list.
  • After by Francine Prose · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of schools and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Common questions

What books are similar to Rotten Teeth?
The 10 closest matches to Rotten Teeth by Laura Simms on ReadingList include Mr. Tanen's Ties, Never Spit on Your Shoes, The Toll-Bridge Troll, Herbie's Troubles, and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. Each is scored on shared themes (schools, show-and-tell presentations, and schools, fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades K–3), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Rotten Teeth reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades K–3), 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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