Books like Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe

Looking for books like Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe by Jo Watson Hackl (Realistic Fiction · grades 4–7)? It’s most often read for its themes of survival, grief, and nature. The 10 titlesbelow are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, 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 4–7 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe

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Why each is a match

Touching Spirit Beargrades 6–9
Shares themes of survival and nature, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
A Long Walk to Water720L
Shares themes of survival and perseverance and overlapping grades (5–8).
Mick Harte Was Heregrades 5–8
Shares themes of grief, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Pie in the Skygrades 3–6
Shares themes of grief, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrisegrades 5–8
Shares themes of grief, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
The Wild Robot740L
Shares themes of survival and nature and overlapping grades (4–6).
Dear Mr. Henshawgrades 4–6
Shares themes of grief, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Dogtowngrades 3–6
Shares themes of perseverance, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Globalgrades 6–8
Shares themes of nature and perseverance and overlapping grades (6–8).
Hatchet1020L
Shares themes of survival and nature and overlapping grades (5–8).

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