The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

About this book

A mischievous boy growing up along the Mississippi River in antebellum Missouri talks his way out of chores, courts Becky Thatcher, witnesses a graveyard murder, and is pursued by the villain Injun Joe. Twain's portrait of small-town boyhood is a staple grades 6-8 text and a Common Core Appendix B exemplar, written in period vernacular that rewards close reading.

Why widely assigned

This Classic Fiction title, reads at young-adult to upper-middle-grade complexity, typically at grades 5–8. Written in the 1870s; pairs with curriculum units on childhood and adventure; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

• Common Core State Standards (ELA)

  • recommended·6th gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 6-8 story exemplar
  • recommended·7th gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 6-8 story exemplar
  • recommended·8th gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 6-8 story exemplar

Similar grade-level books

• 
  The Outsiders
  S.E. Hinton · 750L
• 
  The Giver
  Lois Lowry · 760L
• 
  The Diary of a Young Girl
  Anne Frank · 1080L
• 
  To Kill a Mockingbird
  Harper Lee · 870L

See all books like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Common questions

What grade level is The Adventures of Tom Sawyer?

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 5–8, with a Lexile measure of 950L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.

What is the Lexile level of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer?

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer has a Lexile measure of 950L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.

How long does it take to read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer?

It takes about 4 hours to read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (216 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 240 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

Is The Adventures of Tom Sawyer hard to read for 5th grade?

At 950L, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer falls within the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 5th grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.

What curricula assign The Adventures of Tom Sawyer?

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.