Books like 'Rules of the Road'
Readers who enjoyed Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary action / adventure realistic coming-of-age journey humor family high-school friendship teens
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Wish You Were Eyre by Heather Vogel Frederick
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe book club says bon voyage to Concord and bonjour to France! It’s a dream come true for Megan, who’s jet-setting to Paris for Fashion Week with Gigi. Meanwhile, back in Concord, Mrs. Wong decides to run for mayor, so Emma and Stewart team up to make her campaign a success... -
The Unteachables by Gordon Korman, Sarah Beth Goer
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA hilarious new middle grade novel from beloved and bestselling author Gordan Korman about what happens when the worst class of kids in school is paired with the worst teacher—perfect for fans of Ms. Bixby’s Last Day.The Unteachables are a notorious class of misfits, delinquents, and academic train wrecks...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship high-school humor realistic action-adventure -
Home for the Holidays by Heather Vogel Frederick
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThis Christmas season, join the girls of the mother-daughter book club for a variety of holiday-themed adventures! Becca, Megan, Emma, Cassidy and Jess have plenty of reading material to bring on their trips, too, because the book club is tackling the Betsy-Tacy series before their next meeting on New Year’s Eve. But unfortunately, nothing goes quite as planned for any of the girls... -
Dear Pen Pal by Heather Vogel Frederick
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe third book in the Mother-Daughter Book Club series by Heather Vogel Frederick follows the girls for a new year of humor and friendship... -
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Pies & Prejudice by Heather Vogel Frederick
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsRight before the start of freshman year, Emma’s family unexpectedly moves to England. The book club members are stunned—but thanks to videoconferencing, they can still keep the club alive, and they decide to tackle Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice . And when the girls try to bring Emma home by starting a bake sale, it becomes a thriving business: Pies & Prejudice... -
The Season of Dreams by Fiona Valpy
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn this romantic tale in the Escape to France collection from bestselling author Fiona Valpy, Sara has one summer to make wedding wishes come true... -
The Rainbow Troops by Andrea Hirata
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsPublished in Indonesia in 2005, "The Rainbow Troops," Andrea Hirata's closely autobiographical debut novel, sold more than five million copies, shattering records. Now it promises to captivate audiences around the globe.Ikal is a student at the poorest village school on the Indonesian island of Belitong, where graduating from sixth grade is considered a remarkable achievement...Categorized as:
bildungsroman children coming-of-age family friendship humor journey action-adventure -
Much Ado About Anne by Heather Vogel Frederick
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe mother-daughter book club is back! This year the mothers have a big surprise in store for Emma, Jess, Cassidy, and Megan: They've invited snooty Becca Chadwick and her mother to join the book club! But there are bigger problems when Jess finds out that her family may have to give up Half Moon Farm...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship humor realistic season-summer action-adventure -
The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant, Stephen Gammell
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe relatives' station wagon: it smelled like a real car, looked like a rainbow, and was roomy enough for a crowd. Lucky! Because a big crowd in all shapes and sizes piled into that old wagon at four o'clock one summer morning and piled out of it the next day at their relatives' place on the north side of the mountains. All in good moods... -
Out of My Heart by Sharon M. Draper
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMelody faces her fears to follow her passion in this stunning sequel to the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling middle grade novel Out of My Mind.Melody, the huge-hearted heroine of Out of My Mind, is now a year older and a year braver. But not as brave as she wants to be, as she’s terrified of horses. Even though she loves horses—loves loves loves them—from afar...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship humor realistic season-summer action-adventure -
The Stars of Summer by Tara Dairman
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt’s not easy being an undercover restaurant critic—especially when you’re only twelve years old!After successfully completing her first restaurant review for the New York Standard newspaper, Gladys Gatsby is looking forward to a quiet summer of cooking and eating. But her plans quickly go awry when her friend Charissa Bentley delivers Gladys’s birthday gift: a free summer at Camp Bentley... -
Picture Perfect by Holly Smale
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratings"My name is Harriet Manners, and I'll always be a geek." It's the hilarious third book in the No.1 bestselling, award winning GEEK GIRL series! Harriet Manners knows more facts that most. She knows that New York is the most populous city in the United States. She knows that its official motto is "Ever Upward". She knows that 28% of Americans believe we never landed on the moon... -
The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman by Julietta Henderson
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA triumphant and touching debut about the unlikeliest superstar you’ll ever meet.Twelve-year-old Norman Foreman and his best friend, Jax, are a legendary comedic duo in waiting, with a plan to take their act all the way to the Edinburgh Fringe. But when Jax dies, Norman decides the only fitting tribute is to perform at the festival himself. The problem is, Norman’s not the funny one. Jax was... -
Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsIt was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough.Dance until dawn? Sure... -
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Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsAnd as streams of light fan out behind the darkened sun like the wings of a butterfly, I realize that I never saw real beauty until now.At Moon Shadow, an isolated campground, thousands have gathered to catch a glimpse of a rare and extraordinary total eclipse of the sun...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family female-mc friendship high-school realistic season-summer -
My Best Friend by Julie Fogliano
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA story of first friendship.she is my best friend i think i never had a best friend so i’m not sure but i think she is a really good best friend because when we were drawing she drew me and i drew her... -
Froggy Goes to School by Jonathan London
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFroggy's mother knows that everyone's nervous on the first day of school. "Not me!" says Froggy, and together they leapfrog to the bus stop -- flop flop flop. Froggy's exuberant antics, complete with sound effects, will delight his many fans and reassure them that school can be fun."This is a great read-aloud with sounds and words that encourage active participation... -
Thirteen Plus One by Lauren Myracle
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWinnie has finally gotten the hang of junior highÑ gaining two fabulous BFFs and a perfect (OK, sometimes perfect) boyfriend in the process. And with graduation just around the corner, the countdown to high school has begun. Not that Winnie is obsessing about it, since she has a whole bunch of things to check off her To-Do-Before-High-School list... -
Bound to be Bad by Annie Barrows
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe adventures of Ivy and Bean continue in the latest installment from series creators Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall. In Ivy and Bean Bound to Be Bad the two girls decide to be so good and kind and pure of thought that wild animals will befriend them. When this doesn't work, they decide that perhaps a little badness can be good... -
Ivy and Bean Break the Fossil Record by Annie Barrows
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWorld record fever grips the second grade, and soon Ivy and Bean are trying to set their own record by becoming the youngest people to have ever discovered a dinosaur... -
Clementine's Letter by Sara Pennypacker
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsClementine can't believe her ears her beloved teacher, Mr. D'Matz, might be leaving them for the rest of the year to go on a research trip to Egypt! No other teacher has ever understood her impulsiveness, her itch to draw constantly, or her need to play "Beat the Clock" when the day feels too long... -
The Lost Girls of Ireland by Susanne O'Leary
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA heart-warming story about family secrets and one woman’s escape to dreamy Sandy Cove on the stunning west coast of Ireland.The picturesque beach of Wild Rose Bay is the last place Lydia Butler thought she’d be. But having just lost everything, the run-down cottage she inherited from her Great Aunt Nellie is the only place she can take her daughter, Sunny... -
Guitar Notes by Mary Amato
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsA "sweet story of two different loners finding their counterpoint" (School Library Journal) from a star of state master and children's choice lists making her YA debut. Clean YA with the emotional resonancy of John Green and Sarah Dessen.On odd days, Tripp Broody uses a school practice room to let loose on a borrowed guitar... -
Notes from the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsFrom hot new talent Jordan Sonnenblick, a "Tuesdays with Morrie" for teens. Coincides with the publication of his new hardcover novel.16-year-old Alex decides to get even. His parents are separated, his father is dating his former third-grade teacher, and being 16 isn't easy, especially when it comes to girls... -
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Bloomability by Sharon Creech
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsKidnapped!The kidnappers are actually her Aunt Sandy and Uncle Max, but that doesn't matter to Domenica Santolina Doone, better known as Dinnie. She feels as if she's being taken out of the country against her will. Certainly no one asked her opinion. Dinnie is used to change-with her family constantly moving from state to state while her father searches for one new "opportunity" after another... -
Charmed Forces: Super Special by Melissa J. Morgan
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAlyssa finds an amethyst, a stone believed to aid in psychic awareness. Suddenly she?s interpreting dreams and making predictions, all with 100 percent accuracy. While half the camp girls are believers, the other half are skeptics, attributing the gem?s track record to coincidence. Not that Alyssa cares what anyone thinks. In fact, she?s so attached to the amethyst, she names it Amy...Categorized as:
children female-mc friendship realistic season-summer action-adventure book contemporary -
Open for Business (The Once in a Blue Moon Guesthouse) by Cressida McLaughlin
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA warm welcome awaits…the charming new arrival from the No.1 bestselling author of The Canal Boat Cafe. Robin Brennan has come home to Campion Bay. Now her parents have retired, she’s set to become the new landlady of The Campion Bay Guesthouse.Bookings have been as thin as the hand towels, and it doesn’t take long for Robin to realise that the place needs a serious makeover... -
Close to You by Kathryn Shay
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAward-winning author Kathryn Shay delivers a powerful novel about two people whose undeniable passion for each other pushes them to take the chances of a lifetime. Through his sister, the Second Lady of the United States, photographer Aidan O'Neil meets Secret Service Agent C.J... -
The Boys Return by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIt’s spring break and the only assignment Wally Hatford and Caroline Malloy have is to do something that they have never done before. Wally’s sure that will be a cinch once he hears the great news about the mighty Benson brothers coming to stay for vacation. It will be nonstop action all the way... -
The Girls Take Over by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe race is on! The Hatford boys and the Malloy girls are ready to outdo one another again. Eddie is the first girl to ever try out for the school baseball team. Now she and Jake are competing for the same position, while Caroline and Wally compete for class spelling bee champ. Wally is itching to win, but Caroline the show-off plans to be number one... -
A Traitor Among the Boys by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Morris Gleitzman
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Hatford boys' New Year's resolution is "the girls can stay . . . but only if they play by our rules." Their mother insists that they "treat those girls as though they were your sisters." Okay, but somehow the boys' interpretation owes more to sibling rivalry than to brotherly love... -
Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Rated: 3.99 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsA breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay.When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there's an undeniable spark...Categorized as:
bildungsroman coming-of-age family female-mc friendship high-school journey realistic -
Summer Term at St Clare's by Enid Blyton
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSchooldays at St Clare's are never dull for twins Pat and Isabel O'Sullivan in Enid Blyton's much-loved boarding school series. In book three, Pat and Isabel look forward to their first summer term at St Clare's. They soon make friends with new girl Carlotta, who has a secret past that she's desperate to hide. But sneaky Prudence finds out and tells everybody... -
Break the Rules by Joanna Philbin
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe only daughter of supermodel Katia Summers, witty and thoughtful Lizzie Summers likes to stick to the sidelines. The sole heir to Metronome Media and daughter of billionaire Karl Jurgensen, outspoken Carina Jurgensen would rather climb mountains than social ladders. Daughter of chart-topping pop icon Holla Jones, stylish and sensitive Hudson Jones is on the brink of her own music breakthrough...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family female-mc friendship high-school realistic action-adventure book -
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The Boys Start the War by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe first book in the hilarious trilogy featuring the feuding Hatford and Malloy families. When a new family--with three daughters--moves into the neighborhood, the Hatford brothers decide to make Caroline and her sisters so miserable that they'll want to go back to Ohio... -
The Great Treehouse War by Lisa Graff, Ariana Delawari
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratings4 hoursKids vs. parents! An epic treehouse sleepover! An awesome group of friends! An exciting new book from National Book Award finalist Lisa Graff. Winnie's last day of fourth grade ended with a pretty life-changing surprise... -
Nerd Camp by Elissa Brent Weissman
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTen-year-old Gabe has just been accepted to the Summer Center for Gifted Enrichment. That means he’ll be spending six weeks at sleepaway camp, writing poetry and perfecting logic proofs. SCGE has been a summer home of some legendary middle-school smarty-pants (and future Jeopardy! contestants), but it also has a reputation for being, well, a nerd camp. Gabe isn’t a nerd...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship humor realistic season-summer action-adventure -
The Girls Get Even by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAs Halloween approaches, the three Malloy sisters find themselves continually trying to get even with the four Hatford brothers, who have been playing tricks on them since the Malloys moved from Ohio to West Virginia... -
Best (Boy)friend Forever by Melissa J. Morgan
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPriya Shah is Camp Lakeview’s resident tomboy—her BFF in the whole world is Jordan: a BOY, but they are just friends. The girls in bunk 4C aren’t buying it, though. Priya’s used to the teasing and thinks she can take it. But during the fourth-division field trip to D.C. she realizes she’s never been more wrong...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age female-mc friendship realistic season-summer action-adventure book -
Second Time's the Charm by Melissa J. Morgan
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSworn city girl Natalie Goode is actually back—voluntarily—at Lakepuke for more. More mess-food cooking, more bug-infested bunk beds, and even more nature shack (well, maybe not nature shack; a girl has to maintain some standards, after all). And even though the returning 3C-ers have been split up, she’s still got Alyssa as her bunkmate and official summertime BFF...Categorized as:
realistic children friendship coming-of-age female-mc children-books contemporary fiction -
RSVP by Melissa J. Morgan
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt’s the camp reunion and everyone from Bunk 3C is going to NYC for the weekend! And with the girls planning a big surprise for one of their bunkmates, it’s sure to be just like old times...Categorized as:
realistic children friendship season-summer coming-of-age female-mc children-books middle-grade -
Wish You Weren't Here by Melissa J. Morgan
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAthletic, quiet Sarah loves Camp Lakeview and is psyched to be back for another summer in the sun. She gets along with everyone and never makes waves. But when Sarah meets the girls of bunk 4C, she’s in for a huge surprise: Phoebe, a classmate of hers from back home, has come to camp this summer! Phoebe’s friendly, sure, but . .Categorized as:
children coming-of-age female-mc friendship realistic season-summer action-adventure book -
The Ruby Notebook by Laura Resau
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSixteen-year-old Zeeta and her flighty English-teaching mom, Layla, have traveled the world together, settling in a different country every year, making a whole new set of friends and adopting new customs. This year, they’ve chosen to live in Aix-en-Provence, France, an enchanting city full of fountains, creamy yellow light, and a fascinating group of scarlet-clad street performers... -
Boys in Control by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPlay ball! That’s what the sixth-grade Buckman Badgers baseball team plans on doing. Eddie Malloy and Jake Hatford hope to lead their team to the championship game the last Saturday in May. But due to a mix-up, Mrs... -
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A Fair to Remember by Melissa J. Morgan
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsJenna is psyched to have all of her friends up to her lake house! Greenwood Lake is so much fun, especially on Memorial Day weekend, when they have an annual county picnic and an old-fashioned carnival. The weekend is off to a perfect start . . . until Jenna’s brother invites David, her old crush and Sarah’s current boyfriend! Jenna handles the situation by trying to ignore David...Categorized as:
realistic children season-summer friendship female-mc young-adult middle-grade children-books -
Winter Games by Melissa J. Morgan
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPresidents' Weekend is coming up, and Tori's parents have invited four of her closest friends to their Tahoe home for a ski trip! No sooner have the girls booked their tickets to California than they learn that the Lakeview reunion is also scheduled for that weekend...Categorized as:
realistic friendship season-summer children coming-of-age female-mc middle-grade contemporary -
Alone in the Woods by Rebecca Behrens
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTwo former best friends must work together to stay alive after getting lost in a remote national forest.Jocelyn and Alex have always been best friends...until they aren't. Jocelyn's not sure what happened, but she hopes the annual joint-family vacation in the isolated north woods will be the perfect spot to rekindle their friendship.But Alex still isn't herself when they get to the cabin... -
Road Rash by Mark Huntley Parsons
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA teenage drummer finds out what life is really like on tour with a rock band in this funny and bittersweet YA novel. For anyone who loved Almost Famous or This Is Spinal Tap. After being dropped from one band, sixteen-year-old drummer Zach gets a chance to go on tour with a much better band... -
Friends Beyond Measure by Lalena Fisher
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratings"A loving tale inventively and informatively told." —Kirkus (starred review) "A uniquely told story that will delight all readers. Highly recommended." — School Library Journal (starred review) “Clever, whimsical, and jam-packed with details” — The Horn Book (starred review) "A friendship story chronicled through charts, graphs, and maps...Categorized as:
realistic humor friendship children fiction children-books mental-illness contemporary -
And the Winner Is... by Melissa J. Morgan
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen Natalie’s dad is nominated for a Best Actor Oscar, she flies to L.A. for the week, where she plans on hanging out with Tori and also taking her to the Oscars. But when Natalie hits it off with Tori’s friend Reed, Tori feels left out and picks a giant fight, which culminates in Natalie rescinding Tori’s invitation to the Oscars and giving it to Reed instead...Categorized as:
realistic children season-summer friendship female-mc children-books middle-grade young-adult
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