Books Like Sticks & Stones
Families who loved Sticks & Stones by Sarah Mlynowski often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Families who loved Sticks & Stones by Sarah Mlynowski often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your child feels like their 'different' way of doing things is a defect rather than a unique strength. It is a perfect fit for the middle-grade reader who is starting to notice they don't learn or socialize quite like their peers and is beginning to feel the sting of self-comparison. While the story is set in a magical school, the emotions are grounded in reality: navigating friendships, feeling stuck in a rut, and finding self-worth when your 'talent' seems useless. In this second installment of the Upside-Down Magic series, we follow Nory and Bax in their unconventional magic class. While Nory finds joy in kittenball, Bax struggles with the fact that his magic only turns him into a literal rock. This story beautifully normalizes the frustration of slow progress and the feeling of being an outsider. It is a gentle, humorous, and highly relatable exploration of neurodivergence and individuality for ages 8 to 12.
