Tuck Everlasting
by Natalie Babbitt
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt is assigned in US schools at grades 4–7, with a Lexile measure of 770L. 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 Tuck Everlasting is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Lexile
- 770L
- Grade range
- Grades 4–7
- Difficulty for grade
- Within the grade 4–5 band (740–1010L)
- Age range
- Ages 9–12
- Pages
- 144
- Reading time
- about 2h 40m (est.)
- First published
- 1975
- Genre
- Middle Grade Fantasy
- ISBN-13
- 9780312369811
Reading difficulty: At 770L, Tuck Everlasting falls within the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 4th grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge.
Where to find this book
Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook
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About this book
Winnie Foster discovers the Tuck family's secret: a spring in the wood that grants immortality. The short, lyrical novel is a 4th-6th grade staple frequently paired with introductory discussions of theme (would you choose to live forever?) and is among the most-taught fantasy texts at the elementary-to-middle transition.
Why widely assigned
This Middle Grade Fantasy title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 4–7. Written in the 1970s; pairs with curriculum units on mortality and immortality and choice; cited across 1 curriculum framework.
Themes
mortality and immortality · choice · family secrets · coming of age · rural childhood
Content notes
off-page violence · moral peril
Common Sense Media recommends age 9+.
Where this book is assigned
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
Similar grade-level books
The OutsidersS.E. Hinton · 750L
The GiverLois Lowry · 760L
The Diary of a Young GirlAnne Frank · 1080L
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee · 870L
See all books like Tuck Everlasting→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is Tuck Everlasting?
- Tuck Everlasting is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–7, with a Lexile measure of 770L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What is the Lexile level of Tuck Everlasting?
- Tuck Everlasting has a Lexile measure of 770L 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 Tuck Everlasting?
- It takes about 2h 40m to read Tuck Everlasting (144 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 160 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is Tuck Everlasting hard to read for 4th grade?
- At 770L, Tuck Everlasting falls within the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 4th 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.
- What curricula assign Tuck Everlasting?
- Tuck Everlasting appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
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
- 770L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades 4–7 — 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
- No seasonal or program-specific tags on this book.