
Mr. Lincoln's Way
by Patricia Polacco · Grades 3–8 · Realistic Fiction
Mr. Lincoln's Way by Patricia Polacco is on US reading lists at grades 3–8. It appears on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists, across 2 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.
Before you buy: Ages 8–13 · Grades 3–8 · 48 pages. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9780425288313). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.
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Assigned across 2 curriculum lists · 2 states
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 Mr. Lincoln's Way 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 3–8
- Age range
- Ages 8–13
- Pages
- 48
- Reading time
- about 55 minutes (est.)
- First published
- 2001
- Genre
- Realistic Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780425288313
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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More formats & details
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About this book
Book facts and sources (2)
- On award reading lists
- South Carolina Children's Book Award (source: scasl.net)
- California Young Reader Medal (source: californiayoungreadermedal.org)
- Catalog record
- First published 2001 · 48 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)
Similar grade-level books
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee · 870L
Of Mice and MenJohn Steinbeck · 630L
The GiverLois Lowry · 760L
The OutsidersS.E. Hinton · 750L
See all books like Mr. Lincoln's Way→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Why it is assigned
This realistic fiction title is typically read at grades 3–8. Written in the 2000s; pairs with curriculum units on schools and bullies; cited on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists.
Themes
schools · bullies · school principals · birds
Where this book is recommended
California Young Reader Medal
- recommended·3rd grade · Californiasource: California Young Reader Medal past winners, 2005 winner (Picture Books for Older Readers)
- recommended·4th grade · Californiasource: California Young Reader Medal past winners, 2005 winner (Picture Books for Older Readers)
- recommended·5th grade · Californiasource: California Young Reader Medal past winners, 2005 winner (Picture Books for Older Readers)
- recommended·6th grade · Californiasource: California Young Reader Medal past winners, 2005 winner (Picture Books for Older Readers)
- recommended·7th grade · Californiasource: California Young Reader Medal past winners, 2005 winner (Picture Books for Older Readers)
- recommended·8th grade · Californiasource: California Young Reader Medal past winners, 2005 winner (Picture Books for Older Readers)
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) — 2005 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) — 2005 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) — 2005 winner
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Common questions
- What grade level is Mr. Lincoln's Way?
- Mr. Lincoln's Way is listed for grades 3–8. It appears on 2 state book-award lists across 2 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.
- How long does it take to read Mr. Lincoln's Way?
- It takes about 55 minutes to read Mr. Lincoln's Way (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 Mr. Lincoln's Way?
- Mr. Lincoln's Way appears on reading lists for California Young Reader Medal, South Carolina Children's Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Mr. Lincoln's Way banned in schools?
- Mr. Lincoln's Way 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. See the banned books list by state.
- What themes does Mr. Lincoln's Way explore?
- Central themes in Mr. Lincoln's Way include schools, bullies, school principals, birds.
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 3–8 — drawn from the state 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
- On state book-award lists in 2 states (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: book-club.