Where the Wild Things Are
by Maurice Sendak
- Lexile
- 740L
- Grade range
- Grades K–3
- Age range
- Ages 4–8
- Pages
- 48
- First published
- 1963
- Genre
- Picture Book
- ISBN-13
- 9780064431781
Where to find this book
About this book
Max, sent to bed without supper, sails to where the Wild Things are and is crowned their king. Sendak's 1964 Caldecott Medal winner is one of the most-taught picture books in K-2 ELA — over 20 million copies in print and a staple of state ELA Appendix B exemplar lists.
Themes
- imagination
- anger and tantrums
- home and family
- wildness and order
- boyhood
Content notes
- mild peril (imaginary)
Common Sense Media recommends age 4+.
Where this book is assigned
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
- recommended· Kindergarten gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B K-1 picture book exemplar (Caldecott Medal 1964)
- recommended· 1st gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B K-1 picture book exemplar
- recommended· 2nd gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B grades 2-3 read-aloud exemplar
Similar grade-level books
Common questions
- What grade level is Where the Wild Things Are?
- Where the Wild Things Are is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades K–3, with a Lexile measure of 740L. 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 Wild Things Are?
- Where the Wild Things Are has a Lexile measure of 740L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
- What curricula assign Where the Wild Things Are?
- Where the Wild Things Are appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Where the Wild Things Are banned in schools?
- Where the Wild Things Are 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.
- What themes does Where the Wild Things Are explore?
- Central themes in Where the Wild Things Are include imagination, anger and tantrums, home and family, wildness and order, boyhood. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.
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
- 740L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades K–3 — 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.