What grade level is Onion John?

Onion John is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–7. 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 Onion John?

It takes about 4h 55m to read Onion John (268 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 295 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Onion John?

Onion John appears on reading lists for Newbery Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Onion John banned in schools?

Onion John 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.

Onion John

Name: Onion John
Availability: InStock
Author: Joseph Krumgold

by Joseph Krumgold

Assigned across 1 curriculum list

Onion John by Joseph Krumgold is assigned in US schools at grades 3–7. 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 Onion John 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 3–7
Pages: 268
Reading time: about 4h 55m (est.)
First published: 1959
Genre: Juvenile Fiction

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About this book

The story of a friendship between a 12-year-old boy and an immigrant handyman, almost wrecked by the good intentions of the townspeople. "One of the distinguished books of our time. . . . The writing has dignity and strength".--School Library Journal. 1960 Newbery Medal; ALA Notable Children's Books of 1940-1970. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

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Why widely assigned

This Juvenile Fiction title, typically at grades 3–7. Written in the 1950s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

Newbery Medal

Common questions

What grade level is Onion John?: Onion John is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–7. 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 Onion John?: It takes about 4h 55m to read Onion John (268 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 295 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Onion John?: Onion John appears on reading lists for Newbery Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Onion John banned in schools?: Onion John 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

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 3–7 — 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.