Books like The Serpent King

If you liked The Serpent King, read Darius the Great Is Not Okay, Saints and Misfits, or The Field Guide to the North American Teenager — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared award lists and reading level.

Looking for books like The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner (Young Adult · grades 9–12)? 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 9–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to The Serpent King

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Why each is a match

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Darius the Great Is Not Okaygrades 9–12
Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Saints and Misfitsgrades 9–12
Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
The Field Guide to the North American Teenagergrades 9–12
Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+1 more shared list), same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
After the Snowgrades 9–12
Both on the William C. Morris YA Debut Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Beautiful Creatures: The Manga (A Graphic Novel)grades 9–12
Both on the William C. Morris YA Debut Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Because You'll Never Meet Megrades 9–12
Both on the William C. Morris YA Debut Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Belle Époquegrades 9–12
Both on the William C. Morris YA Debut Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Blood Water Paintgrades 9–12
Both on the William C. Morris YA Debut Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Charm & Strangegrades 9–12
Both on the William C. Morris YA Debut Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Check, Please! Book 1: # Hockeygrades 9–12
Both on the William C. Morris YA Debut Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Serpent King for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi · grades 5–12 — Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (5–12), and the same era (2010s).
  • Ash by Malinda Lo · grades 5–12 — Both on the William C. Morris YA Debut Award list, overlapping grades (5–12), and the same era (2010s).
  • Between Shades Of Gray by Ruta Sepetys · grades 4–9 — Both on the William C. Morris YA Debut Award list, overlapping grades (4–9), and the same era (2010s).
  • Dread Nation by Justina Ireland · grades 5–12 — Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list, overlapping grades (5–12), and the same era (2010s).
  • Front Desk by Kelly Yang · 640L — Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list and the same era (2010s).

Books like The Serpent King for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi · grades 5–12 — Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list (+1 more shared list), overlapping grades (5–12), and the same era (2010s).
  • Ash by Malinda Lo · grades 5–12 — Both on the William C. Morris YA Debut Award list, overlapping grades (5–12), and the same era (2010s).
  • Between Shades Of Gray by Ruta Sepetys · grades 4–9 — Both on the William C. Morris YA Debut Award list, overlapping grades (4–9), and the same era (2010s).
  • Dread Nation by Justina Ireland · grades 5–12 — Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list, overlapping grades (5–12), and the same era (2010s).
  • Front Desk by Kelly Yang · 640L — Both on the Battle of the Books (state reading programs) list and the same era (2010s).

Books like The Serpent King for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • Conviction by Kelly Loy Gilbert · grades 9–12 — Both on the William C. Morris YA Debut Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12).
  • Crossing the Tracks by Barbara Stuber · grades 9–12 — Both on the William C. Morris YA Debut Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12).
  • Dear Martin by Nic Stone · grades 9–12 — Both on the William C. Morris YA Debut Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12).
  • Devils Within by S. F. Henson · grades 9–12 — Both on the William C. Morris YA Debut Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12).
  • Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos · grades 9–12 — Both on the William C. Morris YA Debut Award list, same genre (Young Adult), and overlapping grades (9–12).

Book data last updated 2026-08-11. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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