Cover of Summer of the Monkeys

Summer of the Monkeys

by Wilson Rawls

Widely assigned — 3 curriculum lists · 3 states

On reading-award lists:William Allen White Children's Book AwardOklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book AwardWisconsin Golden Archer Award

Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls is assigned in US schools at grades 4–7. It appears across 3 curriculum references and 3 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Summer of the Monkeys is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

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Grade range
Grades 4–7
Age range
Ages 9–12
Pages
283
Reading time
about 5h 10m (est.)
First published
1976
Genre
Middle Grade Fiction
ISBN-13
9780385114509

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

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About this book

From the author of Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls's 1976 novel follows fourteen-year-old Jay Berry Lee, who discovers a band of circus monkeys loose in the Ozark river bottoms and a reward for their capture. His scheming to catch them — and what he ultimately chooses to do with the money — becomes a warm story of family, perseverance, and growing up.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Summer of the Monkeys→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Middle Grade Fiction title, typically at grades 4–7. Written in the 1970s; pairs with curriculum units on family and perseverance; cited across 3 curriculum frameworks.

Themes

family · perseverance · nature · animals · growing up

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is Summer of the Monkeys?
Summer of the Monkeys is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–7. 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 Summer of the Monkeys?
It takes about 5h 10m to read Summer of the Monkeys (283 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 310 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Summer of the Monkeys?
Summer of the Monkeys appears on reading lists for Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award, William Allen White Children's Book Award, Wisconsin Golden Archer Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Summer of the Monkeys banned in schools?
Summer of the Monkeys 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 Summer of the Monkeys explore?
Central themes in Summer of the Monkeys include family, perseverance, nature, animals, growing up. 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 4–7 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 3 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 3 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (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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