What books are similar to The Westing Game?

The 10 closest matches to The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin on ReadingList include When You Reach Me, Ghost, Holes, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and Walk Two Moons. Each is scored on shared themes (mystery, identity, and teamwork), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 5–7), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Westing Game reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 5–7), 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 Westing Game

If you liked The Westing Game, read When You Reach Me, Ghost, or Holes — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Closest match: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead — shares mystery

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Looking for books like The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (Mystery · 750L · grades 5–7)? It’s most often read for its themes of mystery, identity, and teamwork. 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 5–7 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

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Why each is a match

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When You Reach Me750L: Shares themes of mystery, both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), and a close reading level (750L vs 750L). Amazon → books like this →
Ghost730L: Shares themes of identity and teamwork, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and a close reading level (730L vs 750L). Amazon → books like this →
Holes660L: Shares themes of justice, both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list (+2 more shared lists), and a close reading level (660L vs 750L). Amazon → books like this →
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler700L: Shares themes of mystery, both on the Newbery Medal list (+1 more shared list), and a close reading level (700L vs 750L). Amazon → books like this →
Walk Two Moons770L: Shares themes of identity, both on the Newbery Medal list (+2 more shared lists), and a close reading level (770L vs 750L). Amazon → books like this →
Bridge to Terabithia810L: Both on the Newbery Medal list (+2 more shared lists), a close reading level (810L vs 750L), and the same era (1970s). Amazon → books like this →
Swindlegrades 4–7: Shares themes of justice, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
Down the Rabbit Holegrades 2–8: Shares themes of mystery, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (2–8). Amazon → books like this →
The Dollhouse Murdersgrades 4–7: Shares themes of mystery, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon → books like this →
The Crossover750L: Shares themes of identity, both on the Newbery Medal list (+1 more shared list), and a close reading level (750L vs 750L). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Westing Game for younger readers (K–2)

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

In a Dark, Dark Room by Alvin Schwartz · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list and same genre (Mystery).
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner · 490L — Shares themes of mystery and both on the Common Core State Standards (ELA) list.
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña · 610L — Both on the Newbery Medal list (+1 more shared list) and a close reading level (610L vs 750L).
Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick · grades K–3 — Same genre (Mystery).
Piggins by Jane Yolen · grades K–3 — Same genre (Mystery).

Books like The Westing Game for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman · 820L — Shares themes of identity, both on the Newbery Medal list (+1 more shared list), and a close reading level (820L vs 750L).
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli · 820L — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list (+3 more shared lists) and a close reading level (820L vs 750L).
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien · 790L — Both on the Newbery Medal list (+1 more shared list), a close reading level (790L vs 750L), and the same era (1970s).
Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina · 700L — Shares themes of identity, both on the Newbery Medal list, and a close reading level (700L vs 750L).
Restart by Gordon Korman · 730L — Shares themes of identity, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and a close reading level (730L vs 750L).

Books like The Westing Game for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Unwind by Neal Shusterman · grades 8–12 — Shares themes of identity and justice and both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman · 820L — Shares themes of identity, both on the Newbery Medal list (+1 more shared list), and a close reading level (820L vs 750L).
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli · 820L — Both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list (+3 more shared lists) and a close reading level (820L vs 750L).
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo · 800L — Shares themes of identity, both on the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and a close reading level (800L vs 750L).
The Giver by Lois Lowry · 760L — Both on the Newbery Medal list (+2 more shared lists) and a close reading level (760L vs 750L).

Books like The Westing Game for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery and justice and same genre (Mystery).
That's Not My Name by Megan Lally · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery and identity, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery).
How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery).
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery and same genre (Mystery).
The Silence That Binds Us by Joanna Ho · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of identity and justice and both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list.

Common questions

What books are similar to The Westing Game?: The 10 closest matches to The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin on ReadingList include When You Reach Me, Ghost, Holes, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and Walk Two Moons. Each is scored on shared themes (mystery, identity, and teamwork), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 5–7), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Westing Game reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 5–7), 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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