Books like The Running Dream

If you liked The Running Dream, read The Hunger Games, Anger Is a Gift, or Cursed — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Closest match: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

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 Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen? 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 7–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to The Running Dream

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 Hunger Games810L
Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list) and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Anger Is a Giftgrades 9–12
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list, overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Cursedgrades 7–12
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list, overlapping grades (7–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Five Flavors of Dumbgrades 8–12
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list, overlapping grades (8–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Girls Like Usgrades 9–12
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list, overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Hurt Go Happygrades 7–10
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list, overlapping grades (7–10), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
Rose Under Firegrades 8–12
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list, overlapping grades (8–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
The Unlikely Hero of Room 13Bgrades 8–12
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list, overlapping grades (8–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
When We Collidedgrades 9–12
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list, overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →
You're Welcome, Universegrades 8–12
Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list, overlapping grades (8–12), and the same era (2010s). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Running Dream for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list) and the same era (2010s).
  • Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo · 610L — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list).
  • Bunnicula by Deborah Howe · grades 3–6 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list).
  • Loser by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list).
  • The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 3–6 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list).

Books like The Running Dream for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list) and the same era (2010s).
  • Bunnicula by Deborah Howe · grades 3–6 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list).
  • Loser by Jerry Spinelli · grades 4–6 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list).
  • The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 3–6 — Both on the Nebraska Golden Sower Award list (+1 more shared list).
  • A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean · grades 3–6 — Both on the Schneider Family Book Award list and the same era (2010s).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Running Dream?
The 10 closest matches to The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen on ReadingList include The Hunger Games, Anger Is a Gift, Cursed, Five Flavors of Dumb, and Girls Like Us. Each is scored on shared themes, shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 7–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Running Dream reading-level appropriate?
Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 7–12), 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 Running Dream

Browse by another angle

Find ReadingList in your Google results more often: