# Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

**Author:** Robert C. O'Brien
**Lexile:** 790L
**Grade range:** Grades 4–6
**Age range:** 9–12
**First published:** 1971
**Page count:** 233
**Genre:** Middle Grade Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9780689710681`
**ISBN-10:** `0689710682`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/mrs-frisby-and-the-rats-of-nimh
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

A widowed field mouse must move her family before the farmer plows over her home, and turns for help to a colony of intelligent rats who escaped a laboratory. O'Brien's Newbery Medal novel is a 4th-6th grade staple with strong thematic depth.

## Themes

- family
- courage
- science and ethics
- intelligence
- legacy

## Content notes

- animal testing
- peril

Common Sense Media age recommendation: 9+

## Where this book is assigned

### Common Core State Standards (ELA)

- **required** · 5th grade — [source: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 4-5 Newbery Medal](https://achievethecore.org/page/2699)
- **recommended** · 6th grade — [source: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 6-8 exemplar](https://achievethecore.org/page/2699)

### Mark Twain Readers Award

- **recommended** · 4th grade · Missouri — [source: Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL) — Mark Twain Readers Award: Missouri's statewide grades 4-6 children's-choice program (students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1972-2025 per the Mark Twain Award record.](https://maslonline.org/)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Missouri — [source: Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL) — Mark Twain Readers Award: Missouri's statewide grades 4-6 children's-choice program (students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1972-2025 per the Mark Twain Award record.](https://maslonline.org/)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Missouri — [source: Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL) — Mark Twain Readers Award: Missouri's statewide grades 4-6 children's-choice program (students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1972-2025 per the Mark Twain Award record.](https://maslonline.org/)

### Newbery Medal

- **recommended** · 3rd grade — [source: Newbery Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1972 Newbery Medal winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newbery_Medal)
- **recommended** · 4th grade — [source: Newbery Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1972 Newbery Medal winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newbery_Medal)
- **recommended** · 5th grade — [source: Newbery Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1972 Newbery Medal winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newbery_Medal)
- **recommended** · 6th grade — [source: Newbery Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1972 Newbery Medal winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newbery_Medal)
- **recommended** · 7th grade — [source: Newbery Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1972 Newbery Medal winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newbery_Medal)

### Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award

- **recommended** · 4th grade · Alaska — [source: Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025.](https://www.pnla.org/yrca)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · Idaho — [source: Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025.](https://www.pnla.org/yrca)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · Montana — [source: Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025.](https://www.pnla.org/yrca)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · Oregon — [source: Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025.](https://www.pnla.org/yrca)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · Washington — [source: Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025.](https://www.pnla.org/yrca)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Alaska — [source: Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025.](https://www.pnla.org/yrca)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Idaho — [source: Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025.](https://www.pnla.org/yrca)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Montana — [source: Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025.](https://www.pnla.org/yrca)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Oregon — [source: Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025.](https://www.pnla.org/yrca)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Washington — [source: Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025.](https://www.pnla.org/yrca)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Alaska — [source: Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025.](https://www.pnla.org/yrca)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Idaho — [source: Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025.](https://www.pnla.org/yrca)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Montana — [source: Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025.](https://www.pnla.org/yrca)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Oregon — [source: Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025.](https://www.pnla.org/yrca)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Washington — [source: Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025.](https://www.pnla.org/yrca)

### William Allen White Children's Book Award

- **recommended** · 4th grade · Kansas — [source: William Allen White Children's Book Award (Emporia State University) — Kansas's statewide children's-choice program (est. 1952; students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1953-2025 per the William Allen White Award record.](https://wawbookaward.org/)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Kansas — [source: William Allen White Children's Book Award (Emporia State University) — Kansas's statewide children's-choice program (est. 1952; students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1953-2025 per the William Allen White Award record.](https://wawbookaward.org/)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Kansas — [source: William Allen White Children's Book Award (Emporia State University) — Kansas's statewide children's-choice program (est. 1952; students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1953-2025 per the William Allen White Award record.](https://wawbookaward.org/)

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