What grade level is Little Bear?

Little Bear is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades K–1. 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 Little Bear?

It takes about 1h 10m to read Little Bear (63 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 70 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Little Bear?

Little Bear appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Little Bear banned in schools?

Little Bear 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 Little Bear explore?

Central themes in Little Bear include mothers and sons, madres e hijos, bears, osos. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Little Bear

Name: Little Bear
Availability: InStock
Author: Else Holmelund Minarik
ISBN: 9780439445139

by Else Holmelund Minarik

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Assigned across 1 curriculum list

Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).

Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik is assigned in US schools at grades k–1. It appears across 1 curriculum reference, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Little Bear 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 K–1
Age range: Ages 5–6
Pages: 63
Reading time: about 1h 10m (est.)
First published: 1957
Genre: Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13: 9780439445139

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More formats & details

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About this book

Celebrate the timeless warmth of a mother's love with the very first ever I Can Read book! Meet Little Bear, a friend to millions of children. And meet Mother Bear, who is there whenever Little Bear needs her. When it is cold and snowy outside, she finds just the right outfit for Little Bear to play in. When he goes to the moon, she has a hot lunch waiting for him on his return. And, of course, she never forgets his birthday. This classic from Else Holmelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak was written in 1957 and remains as beloved today as it was then.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Little Bear→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Realistic Fiction title, typically at grades k–1. Written in the 1950s; pairs with curriculum units on mothers and sons and madres e hijos; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

mothers and sons · madres e hijos · bears · osos

Where this book is assigned

Common Core State Standards (ELA)
- recommended·Kindergarten grade source: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades K-1 story exemplar
- recommended·1st grade source: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades K-1 story exemplar

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Common questions

What grade level is Little Bear?: Little Bear is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades K–1. 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 Little Bear?: It takes about 1h 10m to read Little Bear (63 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 70 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Little Bear?: Little Bear appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Little Bear banned in schools?: Little Bear 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 Little Bear explore?: Central themes in Little Bear include mothers and sons, madres e hijos, bears, osos. 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 K–1 — 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: Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
Removal / banning records: No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags: No seasonal or program-specific tags on this book.