What books are similar to The Mark of Athena?

The 10 closest matches to The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan on ReadingList include The Lost Hero, The Red Pyramid, Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, Eragon, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Each is scored on shared themes (mythology, friendship, and quest), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 5–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Mark of Athena reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 5–9), 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 Mark of Athena

If you liked The Mark of Athena, read The Lost Hero, The Red Pyramid, or Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Closest match: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan — shares mythology

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 Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan (Fantasy · grades 5–9)? It’s most often read for its themes of mythology, friendship, and quest. 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 5–9 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 Lost Herogrades 5–9: Is by Rick Riordan, the same author, shares themes of mythology, and same genre (Fantasy). Amazon → books like this →
The Red Pyramidgrades 3–8: Is by Rick Riordan, the same author, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Skygrades 4–7: Shares themes of mythology, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Eragongrades 6–9: Both on the Wisconsin Golden Archer Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabangrades 4–8: Both on the Wisconsin Golden Archer Award list, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
Winterhousegrades 6–8: Same genre (Fantasy), overlapping grades (6–8), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Every Soul a Stargrades 6–8: Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (6–8). Amazon → books like this →
Keeper of the Lost Citiesgrades 4–8: Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–8). Amazon → books like this →
City of Ghostsgrades 4–7: Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
The Liftersgrades 3–8: Shares themes of friendship, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Mark of Athena for younger readers (K–2)

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

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin · grades K–3 — Same genre (Fantasy) and the same era (2010s).
Enchanted Wood by Ruth Sanderson · grades K–3 — Same genre (Fantasy).
Eyes of the Dragon by Margaret Leaf · grades K–3 — Same genre (Fantasy).
How Droofus the Dragon Lost His Head by Bill Peet · grades K–3 — Same genre (Fantasy).
Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky · grades 1–4 — Same genre (Fantasy).

Books like The Mark of Athena for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan · grades 3–8 — Is by Rick Riordan, the same author, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–8).
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan · 740L — Is by Rick Riordan, the same author, shares themes of friendship, and overlapping grades (4–7).
Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin · grades K–3 — Same genre (Fantasy) and the same era (2010s).
Enchanted Wood by Ruth Sanderson · grades K–3 — Same genre (Fantasy).
Eyes of the Dragon by Margaret Leaf · grades K–3 — Same genre (Fantasy).

Books like The Mark of Athena for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan · grades 3–8 — Is by Rick Riordan, the same author, same genre (Fantasy), and overlapping grades (3–8).
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan · 740L — Is by Rick Riordan, the same author, shares themes of friendship, and overlapping grades (4–7).
12 Again by Sue Corbett · grades 6–8 — Same genre (Fantasy) and overlapping grades (6–8).
A Deadly Game of Magic by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 6–8 — Same genre (Fantasy) and overlapping grades (6–8).
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel · grades 6–8 — Same genre (Fantasy) and overlapping grades (6–8).

What to read after The Heroes of Olympus

The Mark of Athena is book 3 of 5 in Rick Riordan’s The Heroes of Olympus series. Not done with the series yet? Follow the The Heroes of Olympus reading order first — then come back for the matches above.

Common questions

What books are similar to The Mark of Athena?: The 10 closest matches to The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan on ReadingList include The Lost Hero, The Red Pyramid, Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, Eragon, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Each is scored on shared themes (mythology, friendship, and quest), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 5–9), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Mark of Athena reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 5–9), 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.

← Back to The Mark of Athena