Wishtree
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate is assigned in US schools at grades 3–6, with a Lexile measure of 590L. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where Wishtree is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Lexile
- 590L
- Grade range
- Grades 3–6
- Difficulty for grade
- Within the grade 2–3 band (420–820L)
- Age range
- Ages 8–12
- Pages
- 224
- Reading time
- about 4h 5m (est.)
- First published
- 2017
- Genre
- Middle Grade Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9781250043221
Reading difficulty: At 590L, Wishtree falls within the typical 420–820L text-complexity range for 3rd 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
Red, a 216-year-old oak that neighbors tie their wishes to, narrates the story of a new immigrant family facing prejudice — and decides to break the rule that trees don't talk to help. Katherine Applegate's warm novel about community, kindness, and belonging is a common grades 3-6 read.
Why widely assigned
This Middle Grade Fiction title, reads at early-reader complexity, typically at grades 3–6. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on community and kindness.
Content notes
prejudice
Where this book is assigned
No curriculum assignments on file yet.
Similar grade-level books
The GiverLois Lowry · 760L
The Hunger GamesSuzanne Collins · 810L
Charlotte's WebE.B. White · 680L
MatildaRoald Dahl · 840L
See all books like Wishtree→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is Wishtree?
- Wishtree is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–6, with a Lexile measure of 590L. 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 Wishtree?
- Wishtree has a Lexile measure of 590L 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 Wishtree?
- It takes about 4h 5m to read Wishtree (224 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 245 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is Wishtree hard to read for 3rd grade?
- At 590L, Wishtree 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.
- Is Wishtree banned in schools?
- Wishtree 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
- 590L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades 3–6 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Not yet documented in any tracked curriculum.
- 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.