Cover of The City Under the Back Steps

The City Under the Back Steps

by Evelyn Sibley Lampman

Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

The City Under the Back Steps by Evelyn Sibley Lampman is assigned in US schools at grades 4–8. 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 The City Under the Back Steps is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Grade range
Grades 4–8
Genre
Children's Fiction
ISBN-13
9781948959759
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About this book

Meet Jill and Craig, two children who mysteriously shrink and are taken prisoner by an ant colony. Down beneath the ground they are herded, to the city under the back steps and the complex world of the ant colony. Here where the haughty Queen rules with an iron hand, each of her subjects has a vital role to perform, and Jill and Craig are put to work. But no sooner had they become involved in the daily routine of the colony when an army of red ants sweeps down, threatening the destruction of the city and its inhabitants, including Jill and Craig! Evelyn Sibley Lampman's exciting fantasy, sure to ignite an interest in nature, accurately explores the fascinating hierarchy of the ant world. 27 original illustrations by Honoré Valintcourt. Evelyn Lampman bases her fantasy on a meticulous knowl

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Why widely assigned

This Children's Fiction title, typically at grades 4–8. Published in the canon; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

Common questions

What grade level is The City Under the Back Steps?
The City Under the Back Steps is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–8. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
What curricula assign The City Under the Back Steps?
The City Under the Back Steps appears on reading lists for Vermont Golden Dome Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The City Under the Back Steps banned in schools?
The City Under the Back Steps 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.

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
Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band
Grades 4–8 — 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.
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