Birthday ball
by Lois Lowry, Jules Feiffer, Elissa Steele
Houghton Mifflin Books for Children 2010
Great fit for 5th grade
Reading level and content both target 4th–8th grade · ages 9–14
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Genre
Themes
- identity
- independence
- friendship
- social class
- kindness
- coming of age
- humor
- self-discovery
About this book
Princess Patricia Priscilla is weeks away from her sixteenth birthday ball, where she’s expected to choose a husband from a parade of ridiculous suitors. Bored with royal life, she disguises herself as a peasant and slips into the village school, discovering friendship, purpose, and a world beyond the castle walls. With sly humor and fairy-tale flair, Lois Lowry and illustrator Jules Feiffer create a light, witty adventure. Perfect for readers who enjoy fractured fairy tales and stories about finding your own voice.
Setting: a whimsical medieval-style kingdom, mostly the royal castle and nearby village
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Birthday ball right for my child?
Yes — Birthday ball is a great fit for 5th grade. The reading level is AR 5.1, which is typical for 5th grade. The interest level is rated Middle Grades (4–8), meaning the themes and content are designed for ages 9–14 (4th–8th grade). Themes include identity, independence, friendship.
How long does it take to read Birthday ball?
At a typical 5th grade reading pace, Birthday ball takes around 2.8h to finish. The book has 28,000 words. Slower or faster readers may vary significantly.
Does Birthday ball have an AR quiz?
Yes — Birthday ball has an AR quiz available, worth 4 points. Your child will need to take and pass the quiz through their school's Accelerated Reader program to earn credit. The quiz is typically 5–20 multiple choice questions about plot, characters, and setting.
What grade level is Birthday ball?
Birthday ball has an AR reading level of 5.1, which places it at a 5th grade reading difficulty. The interest level is rated Middle Grades (4–8) — this reflects the age-appropriateness of the content and themes, not just the reading difficulty. A strong younger reader may handle the words fine while the themes are aimed at an older audience, or vice versa.