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 The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I

If you liked The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I, read Abigail Adams, Black Enough, or Blink and Caution — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Closest match: Abigail Adams by Natalie S. Bober

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Looking for books like The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I by M. T. Anderson (Children's · grades 4–9)? 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 4–9 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Abigail Adamsgrades 4–10: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →
Black Enoughgrades 4–10: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →
Blink and Cautiongrades 4–9: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
Cartwheeling in Thunderstormsgrades 4–9: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
Carvergrades 4–9: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
Eleanor & Parkgrades 4–9: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
Electric Bengrades 4–10: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →
Grasshopper Junglegrades 4–9: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
Humbug Mountaingrades 4–9: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9). Amazon → books like this →
Infinite Hopegrades 4–10: Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Most Dangerous by Steve Sheinkin · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
The Notorious Benedict Arnold by Steve Sheinkin · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
The Pilgrims of Plimoth by Marcia Sewall · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).

Books like The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Most Dangerous by Steve Sheinkin · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
The Notorious Benedict Arnold by Steve Sheinkin · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
The Pilgrims of Plimoth by Marcia Sewall · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).

Books like The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Most Dangerous by Steve Sheinkin · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge · grades 4–9 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–9).
The Notorious Benedict Arnold by Steve Sheinkin · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).
The Pilgrims of Plimoth by Marcia Sewall · grades 4–10 — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list, same genre (Children's), and overlapping grades (4–10).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I?: The 10 closest matches to The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I by M. T. Anderson on ReadingList include Abigail Adams, Black Enough, Blink and Caution, Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms, and Carver. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 4–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 4–9), 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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