Fourth Grade Rats
Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state
Fourth Grade Rats by Jerry Spinelli 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 Fourth Grade Rats is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
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
- 90
- Reading time
- about 1h 40m (est.)
- First published
- 1991
- Genre
- Realistic Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780590442442
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
A fast, fun, friendship read from the Newbery-award winning author of Maniac Magee. Fourth graders are tough. They aren't afraid of spiders. They say no to their moms. They push first graders off the swings. And they never, ever cry. Suds knows that now that he's in fourth grade, he's supposed to be a rat. But whenever he tries to act like one, something goes wrong. Can Suds's friend Joey teach him to toughen up...or will Suds remain a fourth grade wimp?telling
Similar grade-level books
The GiverLois Lowry · 760L
RememberToni Morrison
The Hunger GamesSuzanne Collins · 810L
HatchetGary Paulsen · 1020L
See all books like Fourth Grade Rats→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Why widely assigned
This Realistic Fiction title, typically at grades 4–6. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on conduct of life and schools; cited across 1 curriculum framework.
Themes
Where this book is assigned
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · Marylandsource: Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award — Maryland's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-63-520): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·5th grade · Marylandsource: Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award — Maryland's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-63-520): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·6th grade · Marylandsource: Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award — Maryland's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-63-520): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
Was this page helpful?
Common questions
- What grade level is Fourth Grade Rats?
- Fourth Grade Rats 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 Fourth Grade Rats?
- It takes about 1h 40m to read Fourth Grade Rats (90 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 100 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- What curricula assign Fourth Grade Rats?
- Fourth Grade Rats appears on reading lists for Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Fourth Grade Rats banned in schools?
- Fourth Grade Rats 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 Fourth Grade Rats explore?
- Central themes in Fourth Grade Rats include conduct of life, schools, friendship, school stories. 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 classifyHide
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.