Books like Summer of the Monkeys

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 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 Summer of the Monkeys

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Why each is a match

Rascalgrades 5–8
Shares themes of family, perseverance, and nature, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
The Trumpet of the Swangrades 3–6
Shares themes of family, perseverance, and nature and overlapping grades (3–6).
Old Yellergrades 5–8
Shares themes of family, animals, and growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (5–8).
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing470L
Shares themes of family and growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–5).
Diary of a Wimpy Kid950L
Shares themes of family and growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7).
Operation Final Noticegrades 4–8
Shares themes of family and perseverance, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–8).
Ramona Quimby, Age 8860L
Shares themes of family and growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–5).
Ramona the Pest750L
Shares themes of family and growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–4).
The One and Only Rubygrades 2–5
Shares themes of family and animals, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–5).
The Season of Styx Malone510L
Shares themes of family and growing up, same genre (Middle Grade Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–7).

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