Books like Scythe

If you liked Scythe, read Steelheart, The False Prince, or The Fault in Our Stars — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like Scythe by Neal Shusterman (Science Fiction · grades 7–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of mortality, power, and ethics. 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 7–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Scythe

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Why each is a match

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Steelheartgrades 7–12
Shares themes of power, both on the Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers list, and same genre (Science Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
The False Princegrades 5–9
Shares themes of power, both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–9). Amazon → books like this →
The Fault in Our Stars850L
Shares themes of mortality, both on the Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Unwindgrades 8–12
Is by Neal Shusterman, the same author, shares themes of power, and overlapping grades (8–12). Amazon → books like this →
Among the Hiddengrades 5–8
Both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Challenger Deepgrades 9–12
Is by Neal Shusterman, the same author, overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25grades 6–9
Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Sal and Gabi Break the Universegrades 4–7
Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Children of Blood and Bonegrades 5–12
Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (5–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Divergentgrades 8–12
Both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+3 more shared lists), overlapping grades (8–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →

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

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

  • 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass · grades 3–5 — Both on the Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) list (+2 more shared lists) and the same era (2010s).
  • Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea · grades 3–5 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list) and the same era (2010s).
  • Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein · grades 4–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+4 more shared lists) and the same era (2010s).
  • Escaping the Giant Wave by Peg Kehret · grades 3–6 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list) and the same era (2010s).
  • Front Desk by Kelly Yang · 640L — Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (3–7), and the same era (2010s).

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

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

  • Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein · grades 4–6 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+4 more shared lists) and the same era (2010s).
  • Escaping the Giant Wave by Peg Kehret · grades 3–6 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list) and the same era (2010s).
  • Front Desk by Kelly Yang · 640L — Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (3–7), and the same era (2010s).
  • Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes · 360L — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–7), and the same era (2010s).
  • New Kid by Jerry Craft · grades 4–8 — Both on the Volunteer State Book Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (4–8), and the same era (2010s).

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

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

  • I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson · grades 9–12 — Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+2 more shared lists), overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2010s).
  • Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+2 more shared lists), overlapping grades (5–9), and the same era (2010s).
  • The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas · 590L — Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+2 more shared lists), overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2010s).
  • The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer · grades 7–10 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).
  • The Maze Runner by James Dashner · grades 7–12 — Both on the Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers list (+2 more shared lists), overlapping grades (7–12), and the same era (2010s).

Book data last updated 2026-08-11. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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