What grade level is Big Ben?

Big Ben is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–6. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.

How long does it take to read Big Ben?

It takes about 2h 25m to read Big Ben (134 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 145 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Big Ben?

Big Ben appears on reading lists for Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Big Ben banned in schools?

Big Ben does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.

What themes does Big Ben explore?

Central themes in Big Ben include saint bernard dog, dogs, fiction. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Big Ben

Name: Big Ben
Availability: InStock
Author: David Harry Walker
ISBN: 9780001950641

by David Harry Walker

Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

On reading-award lists:Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award

Big Ben by David Harry Walker is assigned in US schools at grades 4–6. It appears across 1 curriculum reference and 1 state, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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

Listen free on Audible30-day trial Buy on Amazon

Audible trial: new members only. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Grade range: Grades 4–6
Age range: Ages 9–11
Pages: 134
Reading time: about 2h 25m (est.)
First published: 1969
Genre: Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13: 9780001950641

More formats & details

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you. Pricing, Prime, and trial terms shown on Amazon.

About this book

As a result of an automobile accident, two children acquire a St. Bernard pup that seems to create increasing trouble in direct proportion to his rapidly increasing size.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Big Ben→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Realistic Fiction title, typically at grades 4–6. Written in the 1960s; pairs with curriculum units on saint bernard dog and dogs, fiction; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

saint bernard dog · dogs, fiction

Where this book is assigned

Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award

Was this page helpful?

Common questions

What grade level is Big Ben?: Big Ben is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–6. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
How long does it take to read Big Ben?: It takes about 2h 25m to read Big Ben (134 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 145 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Big Ben?: Big Ben appears on reading lists for Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Big Ben banned in schools?: Big Ben does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
What themes does Big Ben explore?: Central themes in Big Ben include saint bernard dog, dogs, fiction. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

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: Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band: Grades 4–6 — 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: Cited in 1 state ELA framework 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.