
How to Eat Fried Worms
by Thomas Rockwell · Grades 3–6 · Humor
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell is on US reading lists at grades 3–6. It appears on 9 lists: 9 book-award lists, across 9 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.
Before you buy: Ages 8–11 · Grades 3–6 · 116 pages. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9781843622062). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.
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Among the most widely assigned — 9 curriculum lists · 9 states
#68 most-assigned book in America — on school reading lists in 6 states (2026-07-13 study of 13,258 assignments).
Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).
This page shows where How to Eat Fried Worms is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
Reading level at a glance
- Grade range
- Grades 3–6
- Age range
- Ages 8–11
- Pages
- 116
- Reading time
- about 2h 10m (est.)
- First published
- 1973
- Genre
- Humor
- ISBN-13
- 9781843622062
Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-09-24; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.
Good fit for grade 3?
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About this book
Book facts and sources (9)
- On award reading lists
- South Carolina Children's Book Award (source: scasl.net)
- California Young Reader Medal (source: californiayoungreadermedal.org)
- Iowa Children's Choice Award (source: Goodreads)
- Hawai'i Nēnē Award (source: neneaward.org)
and 5 more in where it is taught
- Catalog record
- First published 1973 · 116 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)
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See all books like How to Eat Fried Worms→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Why widely assigned
This humor title is typically read at grades 3–6. Written in the 1970s; pairs with curriculum units on humor and friendship; cited on 9 lists: 9 book-award lists.
Themes
humor · friendship · school · courage
Where this book is recommended
Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award
- recommended·3rd grade · Arizonasource: Arizona Library Association — Grand Canyon Reader Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Tween divisions; annual since 1977)
- recommended·4th grade · Arizonasource: Arizona Library Association — Grand Canyon Reader Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Tween divisions; annual since 1977)
- recommended·5th grade · Arizonasource: Arizona Library Association — Grand Canyon Reader Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Tween divisions; annual since 1977)
- recommended·6th grade · Arizonasource: Arizona Library Association — Grand Canyon Reader Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Tween divisions; annual since 1977)
California Young Reader Medal
- recommended·3rd grade · Californiasource: California Young Reader Medal past winners, 1975 winner (Intermediate)
- recommended·4th grade · Californiasource: California Young Reader Medal past winners, 1975 winner (Intermediate)
- recommended·5th grade · Californiasource: California Young Reader Medal past winners, 1975 winner (Intermediate)
- recommended·6th grade · Californiasource: California Young Reader Medal past winners, 1975 winner (Intermediate)
Hawai'i Nēnē Award
- recommended·3rd grade · Hawaiisource: Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) — Hawaii's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·4th grade · Hawaiisource: Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) — Hawaii's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·5th grade · Hawaiisource: Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) — Hawaii's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·6th grade · Hawaiisource: Nēnē Award (Hawai'i) — Hawaii's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
Iowa Children's Choice Award
- recommended·3rd grade · Iowasource: Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) — Iowa's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 3-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·4th grade · Iowasource: Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) — Iowa's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 3-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·5th grade · Iowasource: Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) — Iowa's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 3-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·6th grade · Iowasource: Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) — Iowa's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 3-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
Mark Twain Readers Award
- recommended·3rd grade · Missourisource: Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL) — Mark Twain Readers Award: Missouri's statewide grades 4-6 children's-choice program (students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1972-2025 per the Mark Twain Award record.
- recommended·4th grade · Missourisource: Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL) — Mark Twain Readers Award: Missouri's statewide grades 4-6 children's-choice program (students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1972-2025 per the Mark Twain Award record.
- recommended·5th grade · Missourisource: Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL) — Mark Twain Readers Award: Missouri's statewide grades 4-6 children's-choice program (students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1972-2025 per the Mark Twain Award record.
- recommended·6th grade · Missourisource: Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL) — Mark Twain Readers Award: Missouri's statewide grades 4-6 children's-choice program (students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1972-2025 per the Mark Twain Award record.
Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award
- recommended·3rd grade · Oklahomasource: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025
- recommended·4th grade · Oklahomasource: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025
- recommended·5th grade · Oklahomasource: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025
- recommended·6th grade · Oklahomasource: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025
Show 3 more awards & assignmentsShow fewer
South Carolina Children's Book Award
- recommended·3rd grade · South Carolinasource: South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) — South Carolina Children's Book Award official past winners list (linked from scasl.net) — 1976 winner
- recommended·4th grade · South Carolinasource: South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) — South Carolina Children's Book Award official past winners list (linked from scasl.net) — 1976 winner
- recommended·5th grade · South Carolinasource: South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) — South Carolina Children's Book Award official past winners list (linked from scasl.net) — 1976 winner
Wisconsin Golden Archer Award
- recommended·3rd grade · Wisconsinsource: Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association — Golden Archer Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Middle/Junior High; annual since 1974)
- recommended·4th grade · Wisconsinsource: Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association — Golden Archer Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Middle/Junior High; annual since 1974)
- recommended·5th grade · Wisconsinsource: Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association — Golden Archer Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Middle/Junior High; annual since 1974)
- recommended·6th grade · Wisconsinsource: Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association — Golden Archer Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Middle/Junior High; annual since 1974)
Young Hoosier Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award past winners, 1977 winner (General)
- recommended·5th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award past winners, 1977 winner (General)
- recommended·6th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award past winners, 1977 winner (General)
- recommended·7th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award past winners, 1977 winner (General)
- recommended·8th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award past winners, 1977 winner (General)
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Common questions
- What grade level is How to Eat Fried Worms?
- How to Eat Fried Worms is listed for grades 3–6. It appears on 9 state book-award lists across 9 states, from grade 3 to grade 8. Exact placement varies by school and district.
- How long does it take to read How to Eat Fried Worms?
- It takes about 2h 10m to read How to Eat Fried Worms (116 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 130 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- What curricula assign How to Eat Fried Worms?
- How to Eat Fried Worms appears on reading lists for Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award, California Young Reader Medal, Hawai'i Nēnē Award, and 6 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is How to Eat Fried Worms banned in schools?
- How to Eat Fried Worms 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 How to Eat Fried Worms explore?
- Central themes in How to Eat Fried Worms include humor, friendship, school, courage.
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 3–6 — drawn from the state book-award lists citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 9 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- On state book-award lists in 9 states (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: book-club.