Everett Anderson's Goodbye
Macmillan 1983
Great fit for 2nd grade
Reading level and content both target K–3rd grade · ages 5–9
Themes include coping with death
Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Retailer links may be affiliate links.
Genre
Themes
- grief and loss
- family love
- healing
- emotional literacy
- resilience
- coping with death
- father–child bond
- support and community
About this book
Everett Anderson is a young boy learning how to live with a huge loss after his father dies. In spare, poetic lines and warm illustrations, the book gently names big feelings and shows that it’s okay to grieve in your own time. Perfect for early elementary readers, it offers language kids can understand and a comforting look at how family and love help with healing. Families and teachers value it for opening careful, age-appropriate conversations about death and remembrance.
Setting: contemporary urban home and neighborhood
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Everett Anderson's Goodbye right for my child?
Yes — Everett Anderson's Goodbye is a great fit for 2nd grade. The reading level is AR 2.8, which is typical for 2nd grade. The interest level is rated Lower Grades (K–3), meaning the themes and content are designed for ages 5–9 (K–3rd grade). Themes include grief and loss, family love, healing.
How long does it take to read Everett Anderson's Goodbye?
At a typical 2nd grade reading pace, Everett Anderson's Goodbye takes around 4m to finish. The book has 430 words. Slower or faster readers may vary significantly.
Does Everett Anderson's Goodbye have an AR quiz?
Yes — Everett Anderson's Goodbye has an AR quiz available, worth 0.5 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 Everett Anderson's Goodbye?
Everett Anderson's Goodbye has an AR reading level of 2.8, which places it at a 2nd grade reading difficulty. The interest level is rated Lower Grades (K–3) — 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.