Cover of The Tale of Despereaux

The Tale of Despereaux

by Kate DiCamillo

Among the most widely assigned — 16 curriculum lists · 17 states

#11 most-assigned book in America — on school reading lists in 17 states (2026-07-13 study of 13,258 assignments).

Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).

On reading-award lists:Maine Student Book AwardKentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA)Blue Hen Book Award (Delaware Library Association, Youth Services Division) — Middle Readers divisionPacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award+11 more

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo is assigned in US schools at grades 3–6, with a Lexile measure of 670L. It appears across 16 curriculum references and 17 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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

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Lexile
670L
Grade range
Grades 3–6
Difficulty for grade
Within the grade 2–3 band (420–820L)
Age range
Ages 7–11
Pages
270
Reading time
about 4h 55m (est.)
First published
2003
Genre
Middle Grade Fantasy
ISBN-13
9780763680893

Reading difficulty: At 670L, The Tale of Despereaux 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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New to these terms? What is a Lexile level? · Reading levels by grade · What is the Newbery Medal?

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About this book

A small mouse named Despereaux falls in love with a human princess and must rescue her from the dungeons. Newbery Medal winner 2004, the novel's short chapters and direct narrator address make it a frequent 3rd-5th grade read-aloud and assigned text.

Adapted for screen

Adapted for screen (Film · 2008) · theatrical.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like The Tale of Despereaux→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Middle Grade Fantasy title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 3–6. Written in the 2000s; pairs with curriculum units on courage and forgiveness; cited across 16 curriculum frameworks.

Themes

courage · forgiveness · light vs dark · fairy-tale form · underdog narrative

Content notes

mild peril · off-page parental neglect

Common Sense Media recommends age 8+.

Where this book is assigned

Show 10 more awards & assignments

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Common questions

What grade level is The Tale of Despereaux?
The Tale of Despereaux is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–6, with a Lexile measure of 670L. 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 The Tale of Despereaux?
The Tale of Despereaux has a Lexile measure of 670L 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 The Tale of Despereaux?
It takes about 4h 55m to read The Tale of Despereaux (270 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 295 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
Is The Tale of Despereaux hard to read for 3rd grade?
At 670L, The Tale of Despereaux 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 The Tale of Despereaux?
The Tale of Despereaux appears on reading lists for Blue Hen Book Award (Delaware Library Association, Youth Services Division) — Middle Readers division, Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award, Common Core State Standards (ELA), and 13 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Why this book is on this list

How we classify

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure
670L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
Grade band
Grades 3–6 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 16 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 17 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, book-club.

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