What books are similar to The Ear, The Eye, and the Arm?

The 10 closest matches to The Ear, The Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer on ReadingList include The Transall Saga, The House of the Scorpion, The Sea of Trolls, Heir Apparent, and Aliens Ate My Homework. Each is scored on shared themes (zimbabweans, blacks, and science fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Ear, The Eye, and the Arm reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–8), 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 Ear, The Eye, and the Arm

If you liked The Ear, The Eye, and the Arm, read The Transall Saga, The House of the Scorpion, or The Sea of Trolls — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: The Transall Saga by Gary Paulsen — shares science fiction

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 Ear, The Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer (Science Fiction · grades 6–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of zimbabweans, blacks, and science fiction. 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 6–8 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.

The Transall Sagagrades 6–9: Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
The House of the Scorpiongrades 7–10: Is by Nancy Farmer, the same author, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (7–10). Amazon → books like this →
The Sea of Trollsgrades 6–8: Is by Nancy Farmer, the same author, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Heir Apparentgrades 6–8: Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Aliens Ate My Homeworkgrades 3–8: Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Shape-Changergrades 3–8: Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Virtually Perfectgrades 3–8: Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Airborngrades 6–8: Shares themes of science fiction, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Nova's Arkgrades 2–8: Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
Among the Hiddengrades 5–8: Same genre (Science Fiction), overlapping grades (5–8), and the same era (1990s). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Ear, The Eye, and the Arm for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Space Case by Edward Marshall · grades K–3 — Shares themes of science fiction and same genre (Science Fiction).
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
My Robot Buddy by Alfred Slote · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Are You Scared, Darth Vader? by Adam Rex · grades K–3 — Shares themes of science fiction.
The Last Dragon on Mars by Scott Reintgen · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of science fiction and overlapping grades (4–8).

Books like The Ear, The Eye, and the Arm for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
My Robot Buddy by Alfred Slote · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of science fiction, same genre (Science Fiction), and overlapping grades (4–6).
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and overlapping grades (6–9).
Strider by Beverly Cleary · grades 6–8 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and overlapping grades (6–8).
The Last Dragon on Mars by Scott Reintgen · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of science fiction and overlapping grades (4–8).

Books like The Ear, The Eye, and the Arm for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Interstellar Pig by William Sleator · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of science fiction and same genre (Science Fiction).
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list and same genre (Science Fiction).
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of science fiction and both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list.
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans · grades 6–9 — Same genre (Science Fiction) and overlapping grades (6–9).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Ear, The Eye, and the Arm?: The 10 closest matches to The Ear, The Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer on ReadingList include The Transall Saga, The House of the Scorpion, The Sea of Trolls, Heir Apparent, and Aliens Ate My Homework. Each is scored on shared themes (zimbabweans, blacks, and science fiction), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–8), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Ear, The Eye, and the Arm reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–8), 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 Ear, The Eye, and the Arm