What books are similar to Torch?

The 10 closest matches to Torch by Lyn Miller-Lachmann on ReadingList include Brooklyn, Henry IV, Part 1, The Underground Railroad, Now Let Me Fly: A Portrait of Eugene Bullard, and The Book Thief. Each is scored on shared themes (courage, freedom, and history), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like Torch reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), 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.

Books like Torch

If you liked Torch, read Brooklyn, Henry IV, Part 1, or The Underground Railroad — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Closest match: Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín — shares history

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Looking for books like Torch by Lyn Miller-Lachmann (Historical Fiction · grades 9–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of courage, freedom, and history. 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.

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Why each is a match

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Brooklyngrades 9–10: Shares themes of history, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–10). Amazon → books like this →
Henry IV, Part 1grades 11–12: Shares themes of history, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (11–12). Amazon → books like this →
The Underground Railroadgrades 11–12: Shares themes of history, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (11–12). Amazon → books like this →
Now Let Me Fly: A Portrait of Eugene Bullardgrades 9–12: Shares themes of courage and history and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
The Book Thief730L: Shares themes of courage, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (8–11). Amazon → books like this →
All We Have Leftgrades 9–12: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Private Peacefulgrades 9–12: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Salt to the Sea560L: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (8–12). Amazon → books like this →
The Fountains of Silencegrades 9–12: Both on the California Young Reader Medal list, same genre (Historical Fiction), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Armageddon Summergrades 9–12: Shares themes of history, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →

Books like Torch for younger readers (K–2)

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

I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 by Lauren Tarshis · 590L — Shares themes of courage and history and same genre (Historical Fiction).
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of history and same genre (Historical Fiction).
Hidden Hope: How a Toy and a Hero Saved Lives During the Holocaust by Elisa Boxer · grades 2–5 — Shares themes of courage and history.
Knight Owl by Christopher Denise · grades K–3 — Shares themes of courage and both on the California Young Reader Medal list.
Time to Make Art by Jeff Mack · grades K–3 — Shares themes of history.

Books like Torch for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of courage and freedom, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Historical Fiction).
Code Name Kingfisher by Liz Kessler · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of courage and history and same genre (Historical Fiction).
Iceberg by Jennifer A. Nielsen · grades 3–7 — Shares themes of courage and history and same genre (Historical Fiction).
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 by Lauren Tarshis · 590L — Shares themes of courage and history and same genre (Historical Fiction).
Nothing Else But Miracles by Kate Albus · grades 3–7 — Shares themes of history and same genre (Historical Fiction).

Books like Torch for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of courage and freedom, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Historical Fiction).
Code Name Kingfisher by Liz Kessler · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of courage and history and same genre (Historical Fiction).
Iceberg by Jennifer A. Nielsen · grades 3–7 — Shares themes of courage and history and same genre (Historical Fiction).
Nothing Else But Miracles by Kate Albus · grades 3–7 — Shares themes of history and same genre (Historical Fiction).
The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis · 1000L — Shares themes of history, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and same genre (Historical Fiction).

Books like Torch for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

Murder Among Friends by Candace Fleming · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of history and overlapping grades (9–12).
Ties That Bind, Ties That Break by Lensey Namioka · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of history, both on the California Young Reader Medal list, and overlapping grades (9–12).
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway · grades 11–12 — Same genre (Historical Fiction) and overlapping grades (11–12).
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens · 1170L — Same genre (Historical Fiction) and overlapping grades (9–12).
Anthem by Ayn Rand · 880L — Shares themes of freedom and overlapping grades (8–12).

Common questions

What books are similar to Torch?: The 10 closest matches to Torch by Lyn Miller-Lachmann on ReadingList include Brooklyn, Henry IV, Part 1, The Underground Railroad, Now Let Me Fly: A Portrait of Eugene Bullard, and The Book Thief. Each is scored on shared themes (courage, freedom, and history), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like Torch reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), 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.

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