Cover of Rescue Josh McGuire

Rescue Josh McGuire

by Ben Mikaelsen · Grades 3–5 · Adventure

Rescue Josh McGuire by Ben Mikaelsen is on US reading lists at grades 3–5. It appears on 3 lists: 3 book-award lists, across 3 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 8–10 · Grades 3–5 · 266 pages. The button opens the hardcover edition (ISBN 9781562820992). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Widely assigned — 3 curriculum lists · 3 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).

On reading-award lists:California Young Reader MedalNebraska Golden Sower AwardNorth Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award

This page shows where Rescue Josh McGuire 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 3–5
Age range
Ages 8–10
Pages
266
Reading time
about 4h 55m (est.)
First published
1991
Genre
Adventure
ISBN-13
9781562820992

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.

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About this book

Book facts and sources (3)
On award reading lists
Catalog record
First published 1991 · 266 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Rescue Josh McGuire→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This adventure title is typically read at grades 3–5. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on wildlife rescue and orphaned animals; cited on 3 lists: 3 book-award lists.

Themes

wildlife rescue · orphaned animals · bears · runaways

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is Rescue Josh McGuire?
Rescue Josh McGuire is listed for grades 3–5. It appears on 3 state book-award lists across 3 states, from grade 3 to grade 8. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read Rescue Josh McGuire?
It takes about 4h 55m to read Rescue Josh McGuire (266 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 Rescue Josh McGuire?
Rescue Josh McGuire appears on reading lists for California Young Reader Medal, Nebraska Golden Sower Award, North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Rescue Josh McGuire banned in schools?
Rescue Josh McGuire 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 Rescue Josh McGuire explore?
Central themes in Rescue Josh McGuire include wildlife rescue, orphaned animals, bears, runaways.

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 3–5 — drawn from the state book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 3 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
On state book-award lists in 3 states (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: book-club.

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