Cover of Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney is assigned in US schools at grades 3–7, with a Lexile measure of 950L. It appears across 9 curriculum references and 9 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Diary of a Wimpy Kid is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Lexile
950L
Grade range
Grades 3–7
Difficulty for grade
Above the grade 2–3 band (420–820L)
Age range
Ages 8–12
Pages
217
Reading time
about 4 hours (est.)
First published
2007
Genre
Middle Grade Fiction
ISBN-13
9780810993136

Reading difficulty: At 950L, Diary of a Wimpy Kid reads above the typical 420–820L text-complexity range for 3rd grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a stretch text that may need scaffolding for the youngest assigned readers.

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About this book

Greg Heffley records middle-school life — older and younger brothers, an embarrassing best friend, and his own schemes for popularity — in a journal ("it's NOT a diary") packed with cartoons. Jeff Kinney's hugely popular illustrated novel is a gateway book for grades 3-7, prized by teachers and reluctant readers for its humor and accessible format.

Why widely assigned

This Middle Grade Fiction title, reads at young-adult to upper-middle-grade complexity, typically at grades 3–7. Written in the 2000s; pairs with curriculum units on school and friendship; cited across 9 curriculum frameworks.

Themes

school · friendship · family · humor · growing up

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is Diary of a Wimpy Kid?
Diary of a Wimpy Kid is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–7, with a Lexile measure of 950L. 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 Diary of a Wimpy Kid?
Diary of a Wimpy Kid has a Lexile measure of 950L 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 Diary of a Wimpy Kid?
It takes about 4 hours to read Diary of a Wimpy Kid (217 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 240 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
Is Diary of a Wimpy Kid hard to read for 3rd grade?
At 950L, Diary of a Wimpy Kid reads above the typical 420–820L text-complexity range for 3rd grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a stretch text that may need scaffolding for the youngest assigned readers. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.
What curricula assign Diary of a Wimpy Kid?
Diary of a Wimpy Kid appears on reading lists for Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award, Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Book Award, Garden State Children's Book Award, and 6 others. 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
950L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
Grade band
Grades 3–7 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 9 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 9 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: book-club.