Cover of Charlotte's Web

Charlotte's Web

by E.B. White

Assigned across 2 curriculum lists · 3 states

On reading-award lists:Massachusetts Children's Book Award

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White is assigned in US schools at grades 3–5, with a Lexile measure of 680L. It appears across 2 curriculum references and 3 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Charlotte's Web 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
680L
Grade range
Grades 3–5
Difficulty for grade
Within the grade 2–3 band (420–820L)
Age range
Ages 8–11
Pages
184
Reading time
about 3h 20m (est.)
First published
1952
Genre
Children's Fiction
ISBN-13
9780064400558

Reading difficulty: At 680L, Charlotte's Web 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

More formats & details

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About this book

Wilbur, a runt pig saved from slaughter by young Fern Arable, is sent to her uncle's farm where he befriends a writing spider named Charlotte. White's novel is the canonical 3rd-4th grade chapter-book read-aloud in American elementary schools and a Common Core grade 3-5 exemplar.

Adapted for screen

Adapted for screen (Film · 2006) · theatrical.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Charlotte's Web→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Children's Fiction title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 3–5. Written in the 1950s; pairs with curriculum units on friendship and mortality; cited across 2 curriculum frameworks.

Themes

friendship · mortality · loyalty · seasons and change · growing up

Content notes

death of a beloved character

Common Sense Media recommends age 7+.

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is Charlotte's Web?
Charlotte's Web is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–5, with a Lexile measure of 680L. 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 Charlotte's Web?
Charlotte's Web has a Lexile measure of 680L 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 Charlotte's Web?
It takes about 3h 20m to read Charlotte's Web (184 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 200 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
Is Charlotte's Web hard to read for 3rd grade?
At 680L, Charlotte's Web 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 Charlotte's Web?
Charlotte's Web appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA), Massachusetts Children's Book Award. 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
680L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
Grade band
Grades 3–5 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 2 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 3 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, summer.

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