
Charlotte's Web
by E.B. White
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White is assigned in US schools at grades 3–5, with a Lexile measure of 680L. It appears across 2 curriculum references and 3 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where Charlotte's Web is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Lexile
- 680L
- Grade range
- Grades 3–5
- Difficulty for grade
- Within the grade 2–3 band (420–820L)
- Age range
- Ages 8–11
- Pages
- 184
- Reading time
- about 3h 20m (est.)
- First published
- 1952
- Genre
- Children's Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780064400558
Reading difficulty: At 680L, Charlotte's Web falls within the typical 420–820L text-complexity range for 3rd grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge.
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About this book
Wilbur, a runt pig saved from slaughter by young Fern Arable, is sent to her uncle's farm where he befriends a writing spider named Charlotte. White's novel is the canonical 3rd-4th grade chapter-book read-aloud in American elementary schools and a Common Core grade 3-5 exemplar.
Why widely assigned
This Children's Fiction title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 3–5. Written in the 1950s; pairs with curriculum units on friendship and mortality; cited across 2 curriculum frameworks.
Themes
friendship · mortality · loyalty · seasons and change · growing up
Content notes
death of a beloved character
Common Sense Media recommends age 7+.
Where this book is assigned
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
- recommended·3rd gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 2-3 exemplar
- recommended·3rd grade · New Yorksource: NY common summer-reading list — rising 3rd grade
- recommended·3rd grade · New Yorksource: NY Next Gen Learning Standards grade 3 read-aloud text
- recommended·4th grade · Californiasource: CA CCSS ELA grade 4 frequently read text
Massachusetts Children's Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · Massachusettssource: Massachusetts Children's Book Award winners (Salem State University), via Goodreads award record — 1984
- recommended·5th grade · Massachusettssource: Massachusetts Children's Book Award winners (Salem State University), via Goodreads award record — 1984
- recommended·6th grade · Massachusettssource: Massachusetts Children's Book Award winners (Salem State University), via Goodreads award record — 1984
Similar grade-level books
MatildaRoald Dahl · 840L
The BFGRoald Dahl · 720L
Bridge to TerabithiaKatherine Paterson · 810L
A Wrinkle in TimeMadeleine L'Engle · 740L
See all books like Charlotte's Web→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is Charlotte's Web?
- Charlotte's Web is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–5, with a Lexile measure of 680L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What is the Lexile level of Charlotte's Web?
- Charlotte's Web has a Lexile measure of 680L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
- How long does it take to read Charlotte's Web?
- It takes about 3h 20m to read Charlotte's Web (184 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 200 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is Charlotte's Web hard to read for 3rd grade?
- At 680L, Charlotte's Web falls within the typical 420–820L text-complexity range for 3rd grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.
- What curricula assign Charlotte's Web?
- Charlotte's Web appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA), Massachusetts Children's Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Why this book is on this list
Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.
- Lexile measure
- 680L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades 3–5 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 2 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- Cited in 3 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: award-winner, summer.