The Giver
by Lois Lowry
The Giver by Lois Lowry is assigned in US schools at grades 6–8, with a Lexile measure of 760L. It appears across 1 curriculum reference 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 The Giver is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Lexile
- 760L
- Grade range
- Grades 6–8
- Difficulty for grade
- Below the grade 6–8 band (925–1185L)
- Age range
- Ages 11–14
- Pages
- 179
- Reading time
- about 3h 15m (est.)
- First published
- 1993
- Genre
- Dystopian Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780544336261
Reading difficulty: At 760L, The Giver reads below the typical 925–1185L text-complexity range for 6th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge.
Where to find this book
Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook
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About this book
Twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a community that has eliminated pain, conflict, and choice. When he is selected to receive the memories of the world as it used to be, he begins to understand what his society has given up. The Newbery Medal winner is a standard middle-school introduction to dystopian fiction and a frequent Common Core grade 6–7 text.
Why widely assigned
This Dystopian Fiction title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 6–8. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on conformity vs individuality and memory; cited across 1 curriculum framework.
Themes
conformity vs individuality · memory · utopia and dystopia · coming of age · freedom of choice
Content notes
euthanasia (implied and described) · infanticide (implied)
Common Sense Media recommends age 12+.
Where this book is assigned
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
- recommended·7th gradesource: Common Core aligned summer-reading list — rising 7th grade
- recommended·7th gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 6-8 exemplar
- recommended·7th grade · Californiasource: CA CCSS ELA grade 7 aligned reading
- recommended·7th grade · New Yorksource: NY Next Gen Learning Standards grade 7 aligned reading
- recommended·7th grade · Texassource: TEKS grade 7 frequently taught text
Similar grade-level books
The OutsidersS.E. Hinton · 750L
The Diary of a Young GirlAnne Frank · 1080L
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee · 870L
The House on Mango StreetSandra Cisneros · 870L
See all books like The Giver→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is The Giver?
- The Giver is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 6–8, with a Lexile measure of 760L. 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 Giver?
- The Giver has a Lexile measure of 760L 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 Giver?
- It takes about 3h 15m to read The Giver (179 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 195 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is The Giver hard to read for 6th grade?
- At 760L, The Giver reads below the typical 925–1185L text-complexity range for 6th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.
- What curricula assign The Giver?
- The Giver appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Why this book is on this list
Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.
- Lexile measure
- 760L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades 6–8 — 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 3 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- Documented as challenged or removed in 3 states per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: summer.