My Father's Dragon
by Ruth Stiles Gannett
My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett is assigned in US schools at grades 2–4, with a Lexile measure of 990L. It appears across 1 curriculum reference, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where My Father's Dragon is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Lexile
- 990L
- Grade range
- Grades 2–4
- Difficulty for grade
- Above the grade 2–3 band (420–820L)
- Age range
- Ages 7–10
- Pages
- 96
- Reading time
- about 1h 45m (est.)
- First published
- 1948
- Genre
- Early Chapter Book
- ISBN-13
- 9780440420538
Reading difficulty: At 990L, My Father's Dragon reads above the typical 420–820L text-complexity range for 2nd grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a stretch text that may need scaffolding for the youngest assigned readers.
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About this book
Elmer Elevator sets out to rescue a captive baby dragon on Wild Island, armed with chewing gum, rubber bands, and assorted supplies. Gannett's Newbery Honor early-chapter novel is a staple 2nd-3rd grade read-aloud and independent-reading title.
Why widely assigned
This Early Chapter Book title, reads at young-adult to upper-middle-grade complexity, typically at grades 2–4. Written in the 1940s; pairs with curriculum units on adventure and kindness to animals; cited across 1 curriculum framework.
Where this book is assigned
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Common questions
- What grade level is My Father's Dragon?
- My Father's Dragon is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 2–4, with a Lexile measure of 990L. 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 My Father's Dragon?
- My Father's Dragon has a Lexile measure of 990L 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 My Father's Dragon?
- It takes about 1h 45m to read My Father's Dragon (96 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 105 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is My Father's Dragon hard to read for 2nd grade?
- At 990L, My Father's Dragon reads above the typical 420–820L text-complexity range for 2nd 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 My Father's Dragon?
- My Father's Dragon appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). 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
- 990L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades 2–4 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- No seasonal or program-specific tags on this book.