What grade level is M.C. Higgins, the Great?

M.C. Higgins, the Great is listed for grades 4–9. It appears on 2 book-award lists, from grade 3 to grade 9. Exact placement varies by school and district.

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.

M.C. Higgins, the Great

Name: M.C. Higgins, the Great
Availability: InStock
Author: Virginia Hamilton
ISBN: 9781453213889

by Virginia Hamilton · Grades 4–9 · Children's

M.C. Higgins, the Great by Virginia Hamilton is on US reading lists at grades 4–9. It appears on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Grades 4–9 · 201 pages. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9781453213889). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Assigned across 2 curriculum lists

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

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

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.

Reading level at a glance

Grade range: Grades 4–9
Pages: 201
Reading time: about 3h 40m (est.)
First published: 1974
Genre: Children's
ISBN-13: 9781453213889

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-06-20; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

Good fit for grade 3?

If you have read it with a child or a class in this grade, tell other parents and teachers. One tap, no account.

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

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About this book

Book facts and sources (2)

Award won: Newbery Medal, 1975 (source: Wikipedia)
On award reading lists: Boston Globe–Horn Book Award (source: Wikipedia)
Catalog record: First published 1974 · 201 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)

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Why it is assigned

This children's title is typically read at grades 4–9. Written in the 1970s; cited on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists.

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is M.C. Higgins, the Great?: M.C. Higgins, the Great is listed for grades 4–9. It appears on 2 book-award lists, from grade 3 to grade 9. Exact placement varies by school and district.
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 the book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment: Cited in 2 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” 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.