Cover of The One and Only Ivan

The One and Only Ivan

by Katherine Applegate · Grades 3–7 · Middle Grade Animal Fiction

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate is assigned in US schools at grades 3–7, with a Lexile measure of 570L. It appears on 11 lists: 1 state standards document and 10 book-award lists, across 10 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 8–12 · Grades 3–7 · Lexile 570L · 320 pages. Content notes: death of animal companion, captivity (Common Sense Media: 9+). The button opens the print edition (ISBN 9780061992254). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Among the most widely assigned — 11 curriculum lists · 10 states

#52 most-assigned book in America — on school reading lists in 8 states (2026-07-13 study of 13,258 assignments).

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:Virginia Readers' ChoiceMountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania)Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book AwardNorth Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award+6 more

This page shows where The One and Only Ivan 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

Lexile
570L
Grade range
Grades 3–7See the list:3rd4th5th6th7th
Listed most for
4th grade (12 of 51 cited list rows)
Difficulty for grade
Within the grade 2–3 band (420–820L)
Age range
Ages 8–12
Pages
320
Reading time
about 5h 50m (est.)
First published
2012
Genre
Middle Grade Animal Fiction
ISBN-13
9780061992254

Its Lexile (570L) is higher than 15% of the 81 books with a Lexile on our cited 4th grade lists.

Sources: Lexile from MetaMetrics as recorded in our catalog (method); grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-09-24; percentile computed from those lists; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

Good fit for grade 4?

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

Reading difficulty: At 570L, The One and Only Ivan falls within the typical 420–820L text-complexity range for 3rd grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge.

Reading below grade level? Kids who struggle with the print version often finish the assigned book by listening — try the audiobook free with an Audible trial. Affiliate link · trial for new members.

New to these terms? What is a Lexile level? · Reading levels by grade · What is the Newbery Medal?

More formats & details

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More like this

Same grade band, chosen by theme and by how many reading lists carry them. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Show 12 more

About this book

Book facts and sources (12)
Award won
On award reading lists

and 5 more in where it is taught

Named in curriculum frameworks
  • Common Core State Standards (ELA) (source: nysed.gov)
Adapted for screen
  • The One and Only Ivan (2020, Film) (source: Wikipedia)
Catalog record
First published 2012 · 320 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)

Adapted for screen

Adapted for screen (Film · 2020) · Disney+.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like The One and Only Ivan→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This middle grade animal fiction title reads at early-reader complexity and is typically read at grades 3–7. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on animal welfare and captivity and freedom; cited on 11 lists: 1 state standards document and 10 book-award lists.

Themes

animal welfare · captivity and freedom · friendship across species · empathy · art and storytelling

Content notes

death of animal companion · captivity

Common Sense Media recommends age 9+.

Where this book is assigned

Show 5 more awards & assignments

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Common questions

Is The One and Only Ivan hard to read for 3rd grade?
At 570L, The One and Only Ivan falls within the typical 420–820L text-complexity range for 3rd grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately. For more titles like it, see books like The One and Only Ivan.
What grade level is The One and Only Ivan?
The One and Only Ivan is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–7, with a Lexile measure of 570L. It appears on 11 school reading lists across 10 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.
What is the Lexile level of The One and Only Ivan?
The One and Only Ivan has a Lexile measure of 570L 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 One and Only Ivan?
It takes about 5h 50m to read The One and Only Ivan (320 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 350 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The One and Only Ivan?
The One and Only Ivan appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA), Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award, Garden State Children's Book Award, and 8 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

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
570L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
Grade band
Grades 3–7 — drawn from the curriculum sources cited on this page.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 11 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 1 state's ELA framework or DOE list, and on state book-award lists in 9 states (see citations above).
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, book-club.

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