Cover of M.C. Higgins, the Great

M.C. Higgins, the Great

by Virginia Hamilton

Assigned across 2 curriculum lists

On reading-award lists:Newbery MedalBoston Globe–Horn Book Award

M.C. Higgins, the Great by Virginia Hamilton is assigned in US schools at grades 4–9. It appears across 2 curriculum references, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where M.C. Higgins, the Great 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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Grade range
Grades 4–9
Pages
201
Reading time
about 3h 40m (est.)
First published
2011
Genre
Children's
ISBN-13
9781453213889

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade · What is the Newbery Medal?

More formats & details

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About this book

Hamilton's classic coming-of-age tale: The National Book Award– and Newbery Award–winning novel about a young man who must choose between supporting his tight-knit family and pursuing his own dreams Mayo Cornelius Higgins perches on top of a homemade forty-foot tower, considering two destinies. Behind him is his family's beloved house at the foot of a mountain that strip mining has reduced to loose rubble. In front of him, the beautiful Ohio River Valley and the great world beyond. As M.C. weighs whether to stay with the family and home he loves or set off into the world on his own, there appear on the horizon two strangers who will make his decision all the more difficult.

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Why widely assigned

This Children's title, typically at grades 4–9. Written in the 2010s; cited across 2 curriculum frameworks.

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is M.C. Higgins, the Great?
M.C. Higgins, the Great is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–9. 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 M.C. Higgins, the Great?
It takes about 3h 40m to read M.C. Higgins, the Great (201 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 220 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign M.C. Higgins, the Great?
M.C. Higgins, the Great appears on reading lists for Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, Newbery Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is M.C. Higgins, the Great banned in schools?
M.C. Higgins, the Great 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

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 4–9 — 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
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
Tagged for: award-winner, read-aloud.

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