Cover of The Lady With the Alligator Purse

The Lady With the Alligator Purse

by Nadine Bernard Westcott

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Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

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:Kentucky Bluegrass Award

The Lady With the Alligator Purse by Nadine Bernard Westcott is assigned in US schools at grades k–3. 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 Lady With the Alligator Purse 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 K–3
Age range
Ages 5–8
Pages
26
Reading time
about 30 minutes (est.)
First published
1988
Genre
Humor
ISBN-13
9780316930741

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

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About this book

A familiar melody with uproariously funny new lyrics are presented in this picture book that includes music, stories, and games. Full color.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like The Lady With the Alligator Purse→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Humor title, typically at grades k–3. Written in the 1980s; pairs with curriculum units on nursery rhymes and jump rope rhymes; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

nursery rhymes · jump rope rhymes · nonsense verses · poetry

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is The Lady With the Alligator Purse?
The Lady With the Alligator Purse is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades K–3. 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 Lady With the Alligator Purse?
It takes about 30 minutes to read The Lady With the Alligator Purse (26 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 30 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Lady With the Alligator Purse?
The Lady With the Alligator Purse appears on reading lists for Kentucky Bluegrass Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Lady With the Alligator Purse banned in schools?
The Lady With the Alligator Purse 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 Lady With the Alligator Purse explore?
Central themes in The Lady With the Alligator Purse include nursery rhymes, jump rope rhymes, nonsense verses, poetry. 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 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 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.

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