Cover of The Creation

The Creation

by James Weldon Johnson · Grades K–3 · Picture Book

The Creation by James Weldon Johnson is on US reading lists at grades k–3. It appears on 1 list: the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Grades K–3. The button opens the hardcover edition (ISBN 9780823410699). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Assigned across 1 curriculum list

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:Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award

This page shows where The Creation 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 K–3
First published
1994
Genre
Picture Book
ISBN-13
9780823410699

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-06-20; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

Good fit for kindergarten?

If you have read it with a child or a class in this grade, tell other parents and teachers. One tap, no account.

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade · What is the Coretta Scott King Award?

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See all books like The Creation→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why it is assigned

This picture book title is typically read at grades k–3. Written in the 1990s; cited on the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award.

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is The Creation?
The Creation is listed for grades K–3. It appears on 1 book-award list, from kindergarten to grade 5. Exact placement varies by school and district.
What curricula assign The Creation?
The Creation appears on reading lists for Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Creation banned in schools?
The Creation has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 1 state (FL) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.

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 K–3 — drawn from the book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
Removal / banning records
Documented as challenged or removed in 1 state per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans — see the full banned & challenged books list.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-winner, read-aloud.

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