The Giver by the numbers
Lois Lowry · first published 1993 · dataset 2026-10-24
Who it is not for: readers below 3rd grade: no school list in our data assigns it earlier.
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Length and reading time
| Pages (dataset edition) | 179 |
|---|---|
| Estimated words | 49,000 |
| Reading time, 300 wpm (fast) | 2 h 44 min |
| Reading time, 250 wpm (average adult) | 3 h 17 min |
| Reading time, 200 wpm (careful / younger reader) | 4 h 6 min |
| Days at 20 minutes a day | 10 |
| Lexile measure | 760L |
At 179 pages, The Giver is longer than 47.0% of the 2,330 books on the reading lists we track whose page count we know (2,809 books are tracked in all). It is shorter than the median book listed for grades 6-8 (212 pages).
The Giver is 179 pages; the median book listed for grades 6-8 is 212 pages and the median of all 2,330 listed books with a page count is 187.
Source: Page counts of 2,330 books on U.S. school reading lists, bookstatistics.com · Dataset snapshot 2026-10-24
Show the numbers
| Book | Pages |
|---|---|
| The Giver | 179 pages |
| Median book listed for grades 6-8 | 212 pages |
| Median of all listed books | 187 pages |
Word counts and reading times are estimates: pages × 275 words, divided by the reading speed. Your edition's page count and your own pace will differ.
Where The Giver is on school reading lists
74 appearances (0.4% of all 20,804 listings in the dataset), drawn from 22 published lists, in grades 3rd–8th. 74 of the 74 carry a link to the published source document.
States (22): Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.
| Grade | Listings |
|---|---|
| 3rd | 2 |
| 4th | 2 |
| 5th | 2 |
| 6th | 21 |
| 7th | 27 |
| 8th | 20 |
Sources
- Virginia Readers' Choice past winners, 1995-1996 winner (Middle) · checked 2026-09-24
- Mountain Laurel Book Award / Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award — PSLA past winners list, 1994-1995 winner (3-8) · checked 2026-09-24
- Maine Student Book Award — Maine's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 4-8): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record. · checked 2026-07-07
- Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) — Young Reader's Choice Award (est. 1940, the oldest children's-choice book award in the US): students in WA, OR, ID, MT & AK read the annual nominees and vote. Winner list 1940-2025. · checked 2026-07-07
- William Allen White Children's Book Award (Emporia State University) — Kansas's statewide children's-choice program (est. 1952; students read the annual nominees and vote). Winner list 1953-2025 per the William Allen White Award record. · checked 2026-07-07
- Pacific Northwest Library Association — Young Reader's Choice Award winners (1940-2022), via Wikipedia — 1996 Winner · checked 2026-06-23
Questions
How many pages is The Giver?
The Giver by Lois Lowry is 179 pages in the edition recorded in our dataset. Page counts vary by edition and format; at about 275 words per page that is roughly 49,000 words. See how long assigned books are, grade by grade.
How long does it take to read The Giver?
About 3 h 17 min at an average adult pace of 250 words per minute (2 h 44 min at 300 wpm, 4 h 6 min at 200 wpm). At 20 minutes a day that is about 10 days. Compare a book of about the same length: The Great Gatsby.
Is The Giver on school reading lists?
Yes. It appears 74 times on the U.S. school reading lists, award lists and curricula in our dataset, in 22 states plus 10 national-curriculum listings, most often in grades 6-8. That ranks it #13 of 2,809 listed books. See the most assigned books, ranked.
When was The Giver first published?
The Giver was first published in 1993, 33 years ago. See how old assigned books are, decade by decade.
Related
- The Giver: reading level, grades and similar booksOn ReadingList, our sister site for school reading lists.
- Books of about the same lengthThe Great Gatsby (180 pp.) · Ralph S. Mouse (181 pp.) · The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1) (176 pp.) · Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (176 pp.)
- The most assigned books, rankedAll 2,809 listed books start here.
- Book length statisticsHow long assigned books are, by grade.
Cite this page
<a href="https://bookstatistics.com/books/the-giver/">The Giver statistics</a>. Book Statistics, a Figures Bureau site. [The Giver statistics](https://bookstatistics.com/books/the-giver/). Book Statistics, a Figures Bureau site. [url=https://bookstatistics.com/books/the-giver/]The Giver statistics[/url]. Book Statistics, a Figures Bureau site.