What books are similar to Strider?

The 10 closest matches to Strider by Beverly Cleary on ReadingList include Fifteen, Socks, Among the Hidden, Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25, and Taking Terri Mueller. Each is scored on shared themes (diaries, high schools, and schools), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Strider reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–8), 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 Strider

If you liked Strider, read Fifteen, Socks, or Among the Hidden — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Closest match: Fifteen by Beverly Cleary

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Looking for books like Strider by Beverly Cleary (Science Fiction · grades 6–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of diaries, high schools, and schools. 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 6–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Fifteengrades 4–8: Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Socksgrades 4–8: Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Among the Hiddengrades 5–8: Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8). 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 →
Taking Terri Muellergrades 6–8: Shares themes of divorce and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
The House of the Scorpiongrades 7–10: Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10). Amazon → books like this →
Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphreygrades 6–9: Shares themes of diaries and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Heir Apparentgrades 6–8: Same genre (Science Fiction) and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Henry Reed, Inc.grades 4–8: Shares themes of diaries and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
High Heatgrades 6–9: Shares themes of high schools and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Strider for younger readers (K–2)

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

Space Case by Edward Marshall · grades K–3 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and the same era (1980s).
Double Trouble in Walla Walla by Andrew Clements · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list.
Mr. Tanen's Ties by Maryann Cocca-Leffler · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list.
Herbie's Troubles by Carol Chapman · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools.
Miss Nelson Has a Field Day by Harry Allard · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools.

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

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

Ramona's World by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, shares themes of schools, and overlapping grades (4–6).
Space Case by Edward Marshall · grades K–3 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and the same era (1980s).
Double Trouble in Walla Walla by Andrew Clements · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list.
Mr. Tanen's Ties by Maryann Cocca-Leffler · grades K–3 — Shares themes of schools and both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list.
Class Clown by Johanna Hurwitz · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of schools.

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

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

Ramona's World by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–6 — Is by Beverly Cleary, the same author, shares themes of schools, and overlapping grades (4–6).
Daphne's Book by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of schools and overlapping grades (4–8).
Night Hoops by Carl Deuker · grades 6–9 — Shares themes of divorce and overlapping grades (6–9).
The Ear, The Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer · grades 6–8 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and overlapping grades (6–8).
The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke · grades 6–8 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and overlapping grades (6–8).

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

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

After by Francine Prose · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of high schools and schools.
Plague Year by Stephanie S. Tolan · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of high schools and schools.
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of high schools and schools.
Tears of A Tiger by Sharon M. Draper · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of high schools and schools.
Interstellar Pig by William Sleator · grades 9–12 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and the same era (1980s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Strider?: The 10 closest matches to Strider by Beverly Cleary on ReadingList include Fifteen, Socks, Among the Hidden, Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25, and Taking Terri Mueller. Each is scored on shared themes (diaries, high schools, and schools), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Strider reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–8), 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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