What books are similar to The Hunger Games?

The 10 closest matches to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins on ReadingList include Refugee, Sunrise on the Reaping, Hatchet, Touching Spirit Bear, and Allies. Each is scored on shared themes (authoritarianism, survival, and media and spectacle), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Hunger Games reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–9), 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.

Books like The Hunger Games

If you liked The Hunger Games, read Refugee, Sunrise on the Reaping, or Hatchet — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: Refugee by Alan Gratz — shares survival

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Looking for books like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Young Adult Dystopian · 810L · grades 6–9)? It’s most often read for its themes of authoritarianism, survival, and media and spectacle. 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 6–9 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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Refugee800L: Shares themes of survival, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+11 more shared lists), and a close reading level (800L vs 810L). Amazon → books like this →
Sunrise on the Reapinggrades 7–12: Is by Suzanne Collins, the same author, shares themes of survival and sacrifice, and overlapping grades (7–12). Amazon → books like this →
Hatchet1020L: Shares themes of survival, both on the Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award list (+7 more shared lists), and a close reading level (1020L vs 810L). Amazon → books like this →
Touching Spirit Beargrades 6–9: Shares themes of survival, both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Alliesgrades 5–9: Shares themes of sacrifice, both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (5–9). Amazon → books like this →
Mockingjay (Deluxe Edition) (Hunger Games, Book Three)grades 5–12: Is by Suzanne Collins, the same author, both on the Wisconsin Golden Archer Award list, and overlapping grades (5–12). Amazon → books like this →
The Giver760L: Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+12 more shared lists) and a close reading level (760L vs 810L). Amazon → books like this →
The Crossover750L: Both on the Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award list (+6 more shared lists) and a close reading level (750L vs 810L). Amazon → books like this →
Old Yellergrades 5–8: Shares themes of survival, both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →
Two Degreesgrades 5–8: Shares themes of survival, both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list (+3 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Hunger Games for younger readers (K–2)

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

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary · 750L — Both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists) and a close reading level (750L vs 810L).
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume · 470L — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+3 more shared lists).
The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey · 720L — Both on the Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award list (+1 more shared list) and a close reading level (720L vs 810L).
My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza · grades K–3 — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+2 more shared lists) and the same era (2000s).
Titanicat by Marty Crisp · grades K–3 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list) and the same era (2000s).

Books like The Hunger Games for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins · grades 4–7 — Is by Suzanne Collins, the same author, both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary · 750L — Both on the Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award list (+2 more shared lists) and a close reading level (750L vs 810L).
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo · 610L — Both on the California Young Reader Medal list (+14 more shared lists), a close reading level (610L vs 810L), and the same era (2000s).
Cryptid Hunters by Roland Smith · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of survival, both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and overlapping grades (5–8).
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan · 740L — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+10 more shared lists), a close reading level (740L vs 810L), and the same era (2000s).

Books like The Hunger Games for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins · grades 4–7 — Is by Suzanne Collins, the same author, both on the Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–7).
Cryptid Hunters by Roland Smith · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of survival, both on the Young Hoosier Book Award list, and overlapping grades (5–8).
The Maze Runner by James Dashner · grades 7–12 — Shares themes of survival, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+6 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (7–12).
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan · 740L — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+10 more shared lists), a close reading level (740L vs 810L), and the same era (2000s).
Ghost by Jason Reynolds · 730L — Both on the Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award list (+6 more shared lists) and a close reading level (730L vs 810L).

Books like The Hunger Games for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

The Maze Runner by James Dashner · grades 7–12 — Shares themes of survival, both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+6 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (7–12).
Eragon by Christopher Paolini · grades 6–9 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+8 more shared lists), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2000s).
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli · grades 6–9 — Both on the Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award list (+2 more shared lists), overlapping grades (6–9), and the same era (2000s).
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares · grades 7–10 — Both on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award list (+4 more shared lists), overlapping grades (7–10), and the same era (2000s).
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson · 690L — Both on the Kentucky Bluegrass Award list (+3 more shared lists) and a close reading level (690L vs 810L).

What to read after The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games is book 1 of 5 in Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games series. Not done with the series yet? Follow the The Hunger Games reading order first — then come back for the matches above.

Common questions

What books are similar to The Hunger Games?: The 10 closest matches to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins on ReadingList include Refugee, Sunrise on the Reaping, Hatchet, Touching Spirit Bear, and Allies. Each is scored on shared themes (authoritarianism, survival, and media and spectacle), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 6–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Hunger Games reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 6–9), 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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