Cover of Mei Li

Mei Li

by Thomas Handforth

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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).

On reading-award lists:Caldecott Medal

Mei Li by Thomas Handforth is assigned in US schools at grades k–3. 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 Mei Li 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–3
Age range
Ages 5–8
Pages
48
Reading time
about 55 minutes (est.)
First published
1938
Genre
Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13
9780385076395

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

More formats & details

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

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About this book

After spending an eventful day at the fair held on New Year's Eve, Mei Li arrives home just in time to greet the Kitchen God.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Mei Li→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Realistic Fiction title, typically at grades k–3. Written in the 1930s; pairs with curriculum units on chinese new year and fortune-tellers; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

chinese new year · fortune-tellers · play · animals

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is Mei Li?
Mei Li is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades K–3. 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 Mei Li?
It takes about 55 minutes to read Mei Li (48 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 55 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Mei Li?
Mei Li appears on reading lists for Caldecott Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Mei Li banned in schools?
Mei Li 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 Mei Li explore?
Central themes in Mei Li include chinese new year, fortune-tellers, play, animals. 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–3 — 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
Tagged for: award-winner.

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