What books are similar to Stargirl?

The 10 closest matches to Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli on ReadingList include Milkweed, Mick Harte Was Here, The Hunger Games, There's a Girl in My Hammerlock, and A Wrinkle in Time. Each is scored on shared themes (individuality, conformity, and first love), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Stargirl reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–9), 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 Stargirl

If you liked Stargirl, read Milkweed, Mick Harte Was Here, or The Hunger Games — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Closest match: Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli

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Looking for books like Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (Realistic Fiction · grades 6–9)? It’s most often read for its themes of individuality, conformity, and first love. 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 6–9 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Milkweedgrades 4–9: Is by Jerry Spinelli, the same author, overlapping grades (4–9), and the same era (2000s). Amazon → books like this →
Mick Harte Was Heregrades 5–8: Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Hunger Games810L: Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+2 more shared lists), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2000s). Amazon → books like this →
There's a Girl in My Hammerlockgrades 6–8: Is by Jerry Spinelli, the same author and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
A Wrinkle in Time740L: Shares themes of individuality and conformity and overlapping grades (5–7). Amazon → books like this →
Orbiting Jupitergrades 7–10: Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10). Amazon → books like this →
Refugee800L: Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (5–9). Amazon → books like this →
Drums, Girls & Dangerous Piegrades 6–9: Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
The Maze Runnergrades 7–12: Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (7–12), and the same era (2000s). Amazon → books like this →
New Kidgrades 4–8: Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Stargirl for younger readers (K–2)

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

Arrowhawk by Lola M. Schaefer · grades K–3 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel · grades K–3 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester · grades K–3 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
Minnie's Diner: A Multiplying Menu by Dayle Ann Dodds · grades K–3 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).
My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza · grades K–3 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).

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

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

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo · 610L — Both on the Charlotte Award list (+1 more shared list) and the same era (2000s).
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli · 820L — Is by Jerry Spinelli, the same author, both on the Charlotte Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
Jake and Lily by Jerry Spinelli · grades 3–6 — Is by Jerry Spinelli, the same author, shares themes of individuality, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
The Dunderheads by Paul Fleischman · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of individuality.
Arrowhawk by Lola M. Schaefer · grades K–3 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (2000s).

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

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

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli · 820L — Is by Jerry Spinelli, the same author, both on the Charlotte Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7).
Jake and Lily by Jerry Spinelli · grades 3–6 — Is by Jerry Spinelli, the same author, shares themes of individuality, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
So B. It by Sarah Weeks · grades 5–8 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
The Compound by S. A. Bodeen · grades 6–9 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).

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

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

The Compound by S. A. Bodeen · grades 6–9 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9).
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10).
A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen · grades 11–12 — Shares themes of individuality.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley · 870L — Shares themes of individuality.
Eragon by Christopher Paolini · grades 6–9 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list, overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2000s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Stargirl?: The 10 closest matches to Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli on ReadingList include Milkweed, Mick Harte Was Here, The Hunger Games, There's a Girl in My Hammerlock, and A Wrinkle in Time. Each is scored on shared themes (individuality, conformity, and first love), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Stargirl reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–9), 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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