What books are similar to Swim Team?

The 10 closest matches to Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas on ReadingList include Roller Girl, Hoops, Punycorn, El Deafo, and New Kid. Each is scored on shared themes (perseverance, friendship, and race), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–7), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Swim Team reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–7), 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 Swim Team

If you liked Swim Team, read Roller Girl, Hoops, or Punycorn — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson — shares perseverance and friendship

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Looking for books like Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas (Middle Grade Graphic Novel · grades 3–7)? It’s most often read for its themes of perseverance, friendship, and race. 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 3–7 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Roller Girl440L: Shares themes of perseverance and friendship, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list (+3 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel). Amazon → books like this →
Hoopsgrades 3–5: Shares themes of perseverance and courage, same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Punycorngrades 3–5: Shares themes of perseverance and courage, same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
El Deafo420L: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list (+3 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel). Amazon → books like this →
New Kidgrades 4–8: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list (+4 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel). Amazon → books like this →
Smile410L: Shares themes of friendship, both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award list (+2 more shared lists), and same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel). Amazon → books like this →
Curveballgrades 3–5: Shares themes of perseverance and friendship, same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–5). Amazon → books like this →
Dogtowngrades 3–6: Shares themes of perseverance, friendship, and courage, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list, and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon → books like this →
Bud, Not Buddy950L: Shares themes of perseverance and race, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Front Desk640L: Shares themes of race, both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+3 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Swim Team for younger readers (K–2)

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

Wild Blue: Taming a Big-Kid Bike by Dashka Slater · grades K–2 — Shares themes of perseverance and courage.
Dog Man by Dav Pilkey · 390L — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel).
The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza by Mac Barnett · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of friendship, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, and same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel).
Call Me Roberto!: Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos by Nathalie Alonso · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of perseverance, both on the Rhode Island Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (2–5).
Yoshi, Sea Turtle Genius by Lynne Cox · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of perseverance, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (2–5).

Books like Swim Team for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling · 880L — Shares themes of friendship and courage, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Misfit Mansion by Kay Davault · grades 3–5 — Shares themes of friendship and courage, same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (3–5).
The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of friendship and courage, both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli · 820L — Shares themes of race, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Class Act by Jerry Craft · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of friendship and race, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8).

Books like Swim Team for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling · 880L — Shares themes of friendship and courage, both on the Great Stone Face Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–7).
The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of friendship and courage, both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–6).
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli · 820L — Shares themes of race, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Class Act by Jerry Craft · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of friendship and race, both on the Garden State Children's Book Award list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
Global by Eoin Colfer & Andrew Donkin · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of perseverance and courage, same genre (Middle Grade Graphic Novel), and overlapping grades (6–8).

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

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

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas · 590L — Shares themes of race and both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+1 more shared list).
Divergent by Veronica Roth · grades 8–12 — Shares themes of courage and both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list (+1 more shared list).
All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir · grades 9–12 — Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list and the same era (2020s).
Black Boy by Richard Wright · 950L — Shares themes of race.
Brownstone by Samuel Teer · grades 9–12 — Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list and the same era (2020s).

Common questions

What books are similar to Swim Team?: The 10 closest matches to Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas on ReadingList include Roller Girl, Hoops, Punycorn, El Deafo, and New Kid. Each is scored on shared themes (perseverance, friendship, and race), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 3–7), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Swim Team reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 3–7), 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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