The Call of the Wild

About this book

Buck, a domesticated dog from California, is stolen and sold into harsh sled-dog labor during the Klondike Gold Rush. As he is driven across the Yukon, he sheds his civilized habits and reawakens the ancestral instincts of his wild ancestors. London's short novel is a frequent grades 6-8 assignment and appears on the Common Core Appendix B exemplar list.

Why widely assigned

This Adventure title, reads at high-school literary complexity, typically at grades 6–10. Written in the 1900s; pairs with curriculum units on survival and nature vs. civilization; 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

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  The Outsiders
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  Lord of the Flies
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  The Great Gatsby
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  1984
  George Orwell · 1090L

See all books like The Call of the Wild→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Common questions

What grade level is The Call of the Wild?

The Call of the Wild is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 6–10, with a Lexile measure of 1120L. 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 Call of the Wild?

The Call of the Wild has a Lexile measure of 1120L 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 Call of the Wild?

It takes about 3h 10m to read The Call of the Wild (172 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 190 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

Is The Call of the Wild hard to read for 6th grade?

At 1120L, The Call of the Wild falls within the typical 925–1185L text-complexity range for 6th 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 Call of the Wild?

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