What books are similar to The Dog Who Had Kittens?

The 10 closest matches to The Dog Who Had Kittens by Polly M. Robertus on ReadingList include High-Wire Henry, Widget, Bad Kitty, Cat Secrets, and Heart of a Tiger. Each is scored on shared themes (cats and dogs), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades K–3), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Dog Who Had Kittens reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades K–3), 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 The Dog Who Had Kittens

If you liked The Dog Who Had Kittens, read High-Wire Henry, Widget, or Bad Kitty — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: High-Wire Henry by Mary Calhoun — shares cats and dogs

Get it on Amazon →

Affiliate link: as an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Looking for books like The Dog Who Had Kittens by Polly M. Robertus (Realistic Fiction · grades K–3)? It’s most often read for its themes of cats and dogs. 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 K–3 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

Try it on audio — free. Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

Listen free on Audiblestarts instantly

New members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Why each is a match

Amazon links below are affiliate links — as an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

High-Wire Henrygrades K–3: Shares themes of cats and dogs, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Widgetgrades K–3: Shares themes of cats and dogs, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Bad Kittygrades K–3: Shares themes of cats, both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Cat Secretsgrades K–3: Shares themes of cats, both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Heart of a Tigergrades K–3: Shares themes of cats, both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Titanicatgrades K–3: Shares themes of cats, both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Can I Be Your Dog?grades K–3: Shares themes of dogs, both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction). Amazon → books like this →
Bagdad Ate Itgrades K–3: Shares themes of dogs, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Akiakgrades K–3: Shares themes of dogs, both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →
Chestergrades K–3: Shares themes of cats, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Dog Who Had Kittens for younger readers (K–2)

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

Copycat by Ruth Brown · grades K–3 — Shares themes of cats, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
The Grannyman by Judith Byron Schachner · grades K–3 — Shares themes of cats, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Don't Need Friends by Carolyn Crimi · grades K–2 — Shares themes of dogs, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–2).
Madeline Finn and the Library Dog by Lisa Papp · grades K–2 — Shares themes of dogs, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–2).
Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh · grades K–3 — Shares themes of dogs, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).

Books like The Dog Who Had Kittens for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Fudge by Charlotte Towner Graeber · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of dogs, both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Copycat by Ruth Brown · grades K–3 — Shares themes of cats, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Socks by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of cats and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
The Grannyman by Judith Byron Schachner · grades K–3 — Shares themes of cats, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and overlapping grades (K–3).
Bristle Face by Zachary Ball · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of dogs and same genre (Realistic Fiction).

Books like The Dog Who Had Kittens for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Fudge by Charlotte Towner Graeber · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of dogs, both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Socks by Beverly Cleary · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of cats and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Bristle Face by Zachary Ball · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of dogs and same genre (Realistic Fiction).
Jelly Belly by Robert Kimmel Smith · grades 4–6 — Both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, same genre (Realistic Fiction), and the same era (1980s).
Sniper by Theodore Taylor · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of cats.

Common questions

What books are similar to The Dog Who Had Kittens?: The 10 closest matches to The Dog Who Had Kittens by Polly M. Robertus on ReadingList include High-Wire Henry, Widget, Bad Kitty, Cat Secrets, and Heart of a Tiger. Each is scored on shared themes (cats and dogs), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades K–3), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Dog Who Had Kittens reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades K–3), 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.

← Back to The Dog Who Had Kittens