Cover of The War That Saved My Life

The War That Saved My Life

by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is assigned in US schools at grades 4–7, with a Lexile measure of 580L. It appears across 13 curriculum references and 12 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 War That Saved My Life is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Lexile
580L
Grade range
Grades 4–7
Difficulty for grade
Below the grade 4–5 band (740–1010L)
Age range
Ages 9–12
Pages
316
Reading time
about 5h 50m (est.)
First published
2015
Genre
Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)
ISBN-13
9780147510488

Reading difficulty: At 580L, The War That Saved My Life reads below the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 4th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge.

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About this book

Ten-year-old Ada, born with a clubfoot and kept hidden by an abusive mother, escapes 1940 London with her younger brother when children are evacuated to the countryside ahead of the Blitz. Taken in by the reluctant Susan Smith, Ada learns to read, ride a pony, and trust — even as the war closes in. A Newbery Honor book, it is widely assigned in grades 4-7 for its WWII home-front setting and its portrait of resilience and disability.

Why widely assigned

This Historical Fiction (Middle Grade) title, reads at early-reader complexity, typically at grades 4–7. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on war and resilience; cited across 13 curriculum frameworks.

Themes

war · resilience · disability · family · freedom

Content notes

child abuse · war

Where this book is assigned

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See all books like The War That Saved My Life→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Common questions

What grade level is The War That Saved My Life?
The War That Saved My Life is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–7, with a Lexile measure of 580L. 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 War That Saved My Life?
The War That Saved My Life has a Lexile measure of 580L 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 War That Saved My Life?
It takes about 5h 50m to read The War That Saved My Life (316 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 350 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
Is The War That Saved My Life hard to read for 4th grade?
At 580L, The War That Saved My Life reads below the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 4th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.
What curricula assign The War That Saved My Life?
The War That Saved My Life appears on reading lists for California Young Reader Medal, Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award, Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award, and 10 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
580L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
Grade band
Grades 4–7 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 13 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 12 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.