Cover of The Evil Wizard Smallbone

The Evil Wizard Smallbone

by Delia Sherman

Assigned across 1 curriculum list

The Evil Wizard Smallbone by Delia Sherman is assigned in US schools at grades 5–12. It appears across 1 curriculum reference, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where The Evil Wizard Smallbone is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Grade range
Grades 5–12
First published
2018
Genre
Science Fiction & Fantasy
ISBN-13
9781536203653

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More formats & details

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About this book

“Sherman captures perfectly the slow transition of a kid steeped in grief and misery to a boy who is slowly starting to trust, love, and hope again.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review) When twelve-year-old Nick runs away in the middle of a blizzard, he stumbles onto a very opinionated bookstore. He also meets its guardian, the self-proclaimed Evil Wizard Smallbone, who calls Nick his apprentice and won’t let him leave, but won’t teach him magic, either. It’s a good thing the bookstore takes Nick’s magical education in hand, because Smallbone’s nemesis — the Evil Wizard Fidelou — and his pack of shape-shifting bikers are howling at the borders. Smallbone might call himself evil, but compared to Fidelou, he’s practically a puppy. And he can’t handle Fidelou alone.

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Why widely assigned

This Science Fiction & Fantasy title, typically at grades 5–12. Written in the 2010s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

Common questions

What grade level is The Evil Wizard Smallbone?
The Evil Wizard Smallbone is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 5–12. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
What curricula assign The Evil Wizard Smallbone?
The Evil Wizard Smallbone appears on reading lists for Andre Norton Award for Middle Grade & Young Adult Fiction. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Evil Wizard Smallbone banned in schools?
The Evil Wizard Smallbone 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
Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band
Grades 512 — 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
Tagged for: read-aloud.

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