Cover of The Story of Mankind

The Story of Mankind

by Hendrik Willem van Loon

Assigned across 1 curriculum list

The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem van Loon is assigned in US schools at grades 3–7. It appears across 1 curriculum reference, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where The Story of Mankind 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 3–7
Pages
426
Reading time
about 7h 50m (est.)
First published
1921
Genre
Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN-13
9788728447635
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About this book

Originally written for the author’s children, the book explores the history of civilization beginning with early man and taking the reader through the creation of art, writing, religion, and more. All in short, simple to understand chapters. To qualify for inclusion in the book, Van Loon asked a simple question: ‘Did the person or event in question perform an act without which the entire history of civilization would have been different?’ ‘The Story of Mankind’ (1921) was awarded the Newbery Medal for its outstanding contribution to children's literature. The result is an informative, insightful, and entertaining story of mankind that is suitable for readers of all ages. Hendrik Willem van Loon (1882 – 1944) was a Dutch-American historian, journalist, and author, best known for his young a

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Why widely assigned

This Juvenile Nonfiction title, typically at grades 3–7. Written in the 1920s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

Common questions

What grade level is The Story of Mankind?
The Story of Mankind is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–7. 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 Story of Mankind?
It takes about 7h 50m to read The Story of Mankind (426 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 470 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Story of Mankind?
The Story of Mankind appears on reading lists for Newbery Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Story of Mankind banned in schools?
The Story of Mankind 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

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 3–7 — 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
Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-winner.
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