The Apothecary
by Maile Meloy
Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state
The Apothecary by Maile Meloy is assigned in US schools at grades 2–8. It appears across 1 curriculum reference and 1 state, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where The Apothecary 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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About this book
It’s 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-year-old Janie meets a mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin Burrows—a fascinating boy who’s not afraid to stand up to authority, and dreams of becoming a spy. When Benjamin’s father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the secrets of the apothecary’s sacred book, the Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him, all while keeping it out of the hands of Russian spies in possession of nuclear weapons.
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See all books like The Apothecary→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Why widely assigned
This Mystery title, typically at grades 2–8. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on cold war and adventure and adventurers; cited across 1 curriculum framework.
Themes
cold war · adventure and adventurers · alchemy · history
Where this book is assigned
Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association)
- recommended·2nd grade · Michigansource: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·3rd grade · Michigansource: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·4th grade · Michigansource: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·5th grade · Michigansource: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·6th grade · Michigansource: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·7th grade · Michigansource: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·8th grade · Michigansource: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
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Common questions
- What grade level is The Apothecary?
- The Apothecary is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 2–8. 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 The Apothecary?
- It takes about 6h 45m to read The Apothecary (368 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 405 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- What curricula assign The Apothecary?
- The Apothecary appears on reading lists for Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is The Apothecary banned in schools?
- The Apothecary 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 The Apothecary explore?
- Central themes in The Apothecary include cold war, adventure and adventurers, alchemy, history. 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 classifyHide
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 2–8 — 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
- Cited in 1 state ELA framework 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.