21 must-read middle grade books like Not the Worst Friend in the World by Anne Rellihan

Cover of Not the Worst Friend in the World by Anne Rellihan

Not the Worst Friend in the World

By: Anne Rellihan

4.14

Format: 272 pages, Hardcover

Can Lou Bennett keep a secret? She’ll do just about anything to prove herself to her new friend—and…

If you liked the middle grade plot in Not the Worst Friend in the World by Anne Rellihan , here is a list of 21 books like this:

Cover of Ferris by Kate DiCamillo

1. Ferris

By: Kate DiCamillo

4.30

Format: 240 pages, Hardcover

The beloved author of Because of Winn-Dixie has outdone herself with a hilarious and achingly real … read more

Similar categories in Kate DiCamillo's Ferris book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • childrens
  • juvenile
Cover of The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly

2. The First State of Being

By: Erin Entrada Kelly

4.14

Format: 272 pages, Hardcover

When twelve-year-old Michael Rosario meets a mysterious boy from the future, his life is changed fo… read more

Similar categories in Erin Entrada Kelly's The First State of Being book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • middle grade
  • childrens
  • juvenile
Cover of Olivetti by Allie Millington

3. Olivetti

By: Allie Millington

4.10

Format: 253 pages, Hardcover

Being a typewriter is not as easy as it looks. Surrounded by books (notorious attention hogs) and r… read more

Similar categories in Allie Millington's Olivetti book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • mystery
  • middle grade
  • childrens
Cover of The Mystery of Locked Rooms by Lindsay Currie

4. The Mystery of Locked Rooms

By: Lindsay Currie

4.03

Format: 256 pages, Hardcover

Crack the codes. Find the treasure. Escape the house. From the acclaimed author of Scritch Scratch … read more

Similar categories in Lindsay Currie's The Mystery of Locked Rooms book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • mystery
  • juvenile
Cover of Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry

5. Tree. Table. Book.

By: Lois Lowry

4.39

Format: 208 pages, Hardcover

Everyone knows the two Sophies are best friends. One is in elementary school, and one is . . . well… read more

Similar categories in Lois Lowry's Tree. Table. Book. book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • childrens
Cover of The Night War by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

6. The Night War

By: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

4.04

Format: 288 pages, Hardcover

From the two-time Newbery Honor-winning author of The War That Saved My Life and Fighting Words com… read more

Similar categories in Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's The Night War book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • middle grade
  • childrens
Cover of And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps

7. And Then, Boom!

By: Lisa Fipps

4.69

Format: 256 pages, Hardcover

A gripping new novel-in-verse by the author of the Printz Honor-winning Starfish , featuring a pove… read more

Similar categories in Lisa Fipps's And Then, Boom! book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
"Friendship is being there to notice someone's about to fall, to try to keep them from falling, to catch them when they fall or to cushion the blow when they do, to feel what they're feeling, and to u…"

-Lisa Fipps, And Then, Boom!

Cover of Across So Many Seas by Ruth Behar

8. Across So Many Seas

By: Ruth Behar

4.12

Format: 272 pages, Hardcover

Spanning over 500 years, Pura Belpré Award winner Ruth Behar's epic novel tells the stories of four… read more

Similar categories in Ruth Behar's Across So Many Seas book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • middle grade
  • childrens
  • juvenile
Cover of Louder Than Hunger by John Schu

9. Louder Than Hunger

By: John Schu

4.55

Format: 528 pages, Hardcover

Revered teacher, librarian, and story ambassador John Schu explores anorexia—and self-expression as… read more

Similar categories in John Schu's Louder Than Hunger book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • childrens
Cover of Deep Water by Jamie Sumner

10. Deep Water

By: Jamie Sumner

4.21

Format: 224 pages, Hardcover

An impactful, gripping middle grade novel in verse from acclaimed author Jamie Sumner that spans on… read more

Similar categories in Jamie Sumner's Deep Water book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
Cover of Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston

11. Shark Teeth

By: Sherri Winston

4.36

Format: 304 pages, Hardcover

From National Book Award longlisted author Sherri Winston comes an important middle grade novel abo… read more

Similar categories in Sherri Winston's Shark Teeth book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • childrens
Cover of Not Quite a Ghost by Anne Ursu

12. Not Quite a Ghost

By: Anne Ursu

4.08

Format: 277 pages, Hardcover

From the award-winning author of The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy comes an unforgettable and … read more

Similar categories in Anne Ursu's Not Quite a Ghost book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • middle grade
  • childrens
  • juvenile
Cover of Max in the House of Spies: A Tale of World War II by Adam Gidwitz

13. Max in the House of Spies: A Tale of World War II

By: Adam Gidwitz

4.17

Format: 320 pages, Hardcover

Max Bretzfeld doesn’t want to move to London. Leaving home is hard and Max is alone for the firs… read more

Similar categories in Adam Gidwitz's Max in the House of Spies: A Tale of World War II book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • middle grade
  • childrens
Cover of Unstuck by Barbara Dee

14. Unstuck

By: Barbara Dee

4.07

Format: 286 pages, Kindle Edition

From critically acclaimed author Barbara Dee comes a middle grade novel about a girl whose struggle… read more

Similar categories in Barbara Dee's Unstuck book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • childrens
"Remember, you don't write to win a trophy. You write because you love to, and because there's a story you want to tell. That's the prize you give yourself, and it's the only one that matters."

-Barbara Dee, Unstuck

"I thought your writing was going better lately. So why are you forcing yourself to write something different? I mean besides your story, which is what you really want to write. What you need to write…"

-Barbara Dee, Unstuck

"I guess if you're a superstar like Dahlia, people expect you to win every contest, get perfect grades, go to a fancy college, even if that's not who you really are. Maybe if you're Journey, people ex…"

-Barbara Dee, Unstuck

Cover of Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II by Candace Fleming

15. Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II

By: Candace Fleming

4.15

Format: 371 pages, Hardcover

From award-winning author Candace Fleming, comes the powerful and fascinating story of the brave an… read more

Similar categories in Candace Fleming's Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • middle grade
  • childrens
  • juvenile
Cover of The Secret Library by Kekla Magoon

16. The Secret Library

By: Kekla Magoon

3.84

Format: 384 pages, Hardcover

Travel through time with National Book Award Finalist Kekla Magoon in a page-turning fantasy advent… read more

Similar categories in Kekla Magoon's The Secret Library book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • middle grade
  • juvenile
Cover of Telephone of the Tree by Alison McGhee

17. Telephone of the Tree

By: Alison McGhee

4.18

Format: 208 pages, Hardcover

An unforgettable story of grief and the support of community as a young girl, faced with aching los… read more

Similar categories in Alison McGhee's Telephone of the Tree book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • childrens
  • juvenile
Cover of The Wrong Way Home by Kate  O'Shaughnessy

18. The Wrong Way Home

By: Kate O'Shaughnessy

4.34

Format: 336 pages, Library Binding

Twelve-year-old Fern believes she's living a noble life--but what if everything she's been told is … read more

Similar categories in Kate O'Shaughnessy's The Wrong Way Home book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • childrens
  • juvenile
Cover of Not the Worst Friend in the World by Anne Rellihan

19. Not the Worst Friend in the World

By: Anne Rellihan

4.14

Format: 272 pages, Hardcover

Can Lou Bennett keep a secret? She’ll do just about anything to prove herself to her new friend—and… read more

Similar categories in Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • childrens
  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • mystery
  • juvenile
Cover of Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams

20. Mid-Air

By: Alicia D. Williams

4.34

Format: 320 pages, Hardcover

A tender-souled boy reeling from the death of his best friend struggles to fit into a world that wa… read more

Similar categories in Alicia D. Williams's Mid-Air book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • juvenile
Cover of The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko

21. The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman

By: Gennifer Choldenko

4.55

Format: 320 pages, Hardcover

Readers will be rooting for a happy ending for Hank in Newbery-Honor-winner Gennifer Choldenko’s gr… read more

Similar categories in Gennifer Choldenko's The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman book and Anne Rellihan's Not the Worst Friend in the World

  • realistic fiction
  • middle grade
  • childrens
  • juvenile

17 must-read childrens books like Not the Worst Friend in the World by Anne Rellihan

Transform Your Habits

Ferris

Kate DiCamillo

4.30

Transform Your Habits

The First State of Being

Erin Entrada Kelly

4.14

Transform Your Habits

Olivetti

Allie Millington

4.10

Transform Your Habits

The Mystery of Locked Rooms

Lindsay Currie

4.03

View all the books

20 Top fiction books like The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly

Transform Your Habits

Ferris

Kate DiCamillo

4.30

Transform Your Habits

A Royal Conundrum (The Misfits #1)

Lisa Yee

3.82

Transform Your Habits

The First State of Being

Erin Entrada Kelly

4.14

Transform Your Habits

Coyote Lost and Found (Coyote Sunrise #2)

Dan Gemeinhart

4.54

View all the books

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