What books are similar to Summer of the Monkeys?

The 10 closest matches to Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls on ReadingList include Rascal, The Trumpet of the Swan, Old Yeller, Hatchet, and Pax. Each is scored on shared themes (family, perseverance, and nature), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–7), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Summer of the Monkeys reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–7), 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 Summer of the Monkeys

If you liked Summer of the Monkeys, read Rascal, The Trumpet of the Swan, or Old Yeller — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: Rascal by Sterling North — shares family and perseverance

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Looking for books like Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls (Middle Grade Fiction · grades 4–7)? It’s most often read for its themes of family, perseverance, and nature. 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 4–7 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Rascalgrades 5–8: Shares themes of family, perseverance, and nature, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
The Trumpet of the Swangrades 3–6: Shares themes of family, perseverance, and nature, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Old Yellergrades 5–8: Shares themes of family, animals, and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Hatchet1020L: Shares themes of nature and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Pax760L: Shares themes of nature, both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Diary of a Wimpy Kid950L: Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Wisconsin Golden Archer Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Where the Red Fern Grows700L: Is by Wilson Rawls, the same author, shares themes of family and perseverance, and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Harriet the Spygrades 4–7: Shares themes of growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Roller Girl440L: Shares themes of perseverance and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Just Keep Walkinggrades 3–6: Shares themes of nature, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Summer of the Monkeys for younger readers (K–2)

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

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume · 470L — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
Wild Blue: Taming a Big-Kid Bike by Dashka Slater · grades K–2 — Shares themes of perseverance and growing up.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle · 460L — Shares themes of nature and growing up.
Butt or Face? by Kari Lavelle · grades K–2 — Shares themes of nature and animals.
Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary · 750L — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).

Books like Summer of the Monkeys for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli · 820L — Shares themes of family, both on the William Allen White Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume · 470L — Shares themes of family and growing up, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
Holes by Louis Sachar · 660L — Both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).
The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon · 510L — Shares themes of family and growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7).
Restart by Gordon Korman · 730L — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).

Books like Summer of the Monkeys for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli · 820L — Shares themes of family, both on the William Allen White Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).
Holes by Louis Sachar · 660L — Both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–7).
The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon · 510L — Shares themes of family and growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7).
Restart by Gordon Korman · 730L — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+2 more shared lists), same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Wonder by R.J. Palacio · 790L — Shares themes of family, both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Fiction).

Books like Summer of the Monkeys for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway · 940L — Shares themes of perseverance and nature.
I'm the King of the Castle by Susan Hill · grades 9–10 — Shares themes of nature.
Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Shares themes of family, both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (5–9).
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky · 720L — Shares themes of growing up.

Common questions

What books are similar to Summer of the Monkeys?: The 10 closest matches to Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls on ReadingList include Rascal, The Trumpet of the Swan, Old Yeller, Hatchet, and Pax. Each is scored on shared themes (family, perseverance, and nature), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–7), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Summer of the Monkeys reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–7), 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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