Cover of The One and Only Family

The One and Only Family

by Katherine Applegate

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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:Mississippi Magnolia Book Award

The One and Only Family by Katherine Applegate is assigned in US schools at grades 3–5. 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 One and Only Family 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 3–5
Age range
Ages 8–11
Pages
262
Reading time
about 4h 50m (est.)
First published
2024
Genre
Middle Grade Fiction
ISBN-13
9780063393516

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

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About this book

Ivan the gorilla, now settled in a sanctuary with Ruby and Bob nearby, becomes a father to twins in the fourth book of Katherine Applegate's Newbery-winning series.

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Why widely assigned

This Middle Grade Fiction title, typically at grades 3–5. Written in the 2020s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is The One and Only Family?
The One and Only Family is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–5. 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 One and Only Family?
It takes about 4h 50m to read The One and Only Family (262 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 290 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The One and Only Family?
The One and Only Family appears on reading lists for Mississippi Magnolia Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The One and Only Family banned in schools?
The One and Only Family 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.

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 3–5 — 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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