Cover of The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1)

The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1)

by Christina Soontornvat

The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1) by Christina Soontornvat is assigned in US schools at grades 2–5. It appears across 2 curriculum references and 2 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 Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1) is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Grade range
Grades 2–5
Age range
Ages 7–11
Pages
133
Reading time
about 2h 25m (est.)
First published
2023
Genre
Middle Grade Fantasy
ISBN-13
9781338759167
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About this book

Plum is invited to a school where students learn to transform into Guardian animals and protect the natural world. Newbery Honor author Christina Soontornvat opens an illustrated fantasy series about courage and caring for the earth. Nominated for the 2025-2026 South Carolina Children's Book Award (grades 3-5), administered by the South Carolina Association of School Librarians.

Why widely assigned

This Middle Grade Fantasy title, typically at grades 2–5. Written in the 2020s; pairs with curriculum units on fantasy and nature; cited across 2 curriculum frameworks.

Themes

fantasy · nature · courage · friendship

Where this book is assigned

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See all books like The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1)→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Common questions

What grade level is The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1)?
The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1) is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 2–5. 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 Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1)?
It takes about 2h 25m to read The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1) (133 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 145 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1)?
The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1) appears on reading lists for South Carolina Children's Book Award, Washington Sasquatch Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1) banned in schools?
The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1) 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 Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1) explore?
Central themes in The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1) include fantasy, nature, courage, friendship. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

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
Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band
Grades 2–5 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 2 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 2 states ELA frameworks 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.