Where the Red Fern Grows

About this book

Billy Colman, a boy in Depression-era Ozarks, saves up for two Redbone Coonhounds and trains them for raccoon hunts. Rawls's novel is a common 5th-6th grade read-aloud and sees periodic renewals of popularity as a reluctant-reader classic.

Why widely assigned

This Children's Fiction title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 4–7. Written in the 1960s; pairs with curriculum units on boy-and-dog bond and rural self-reliance; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

• Common Core State Standards (ELA)

  • recommended·5th gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 4-5 exemplar
  • recommended·5th grade · Texassource: TX common summer-reading list — rising 5th grade
  • recommended·6th grade · Oklahomasource: Oklahoma Academic Standards grade 6 aligned text (Ozarks setting)

Similar grade-level books

• 
  The Outsiders
  S.E. Hinton · 750L
• 
  The Giver
  Lois Lowry · 760L
• 
  The Diary of a Young Girl
  Anne Frank · 1080L
• 
  To Kill a Mockingbird
  Harper Lee · 870L

See all books like Where the Red Fern Grows→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Common questions

What grade level is Where the Red Fern Grows?

Where the Red Fern Grows is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–7, with a Lexile measure of 700L. 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 Where the Red Fern Grows?

Where the Red Fern Grows has a Lexile measure of 700L 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 Where the Red Fern Grows?

It takes about 4h 30m to read Where the Red Fern Grows (245 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 270 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

Is Where the Red Fern Grows hard to read for 4th grade?

At 700L, Where the Red Fern Grows reads below the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 4th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.

What curricula assign Where the Red Fern Grows?

Where the Red Fern Grows appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.