A Ball for Daisy
A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka is assigned in US schools at grades k–2. 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 A Ball for Daisy 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 K–2
- Pages
- 38
- Reading time
- about 40 minutes (est.)
- First published
- 2011
- Genre
- Picture Book
- ISBN-13
- 9780375988738
Where to find this book
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About this book
Winner of the 2012 Randolph Caldecott Medal This New York Times Bestseller and New York Times Best Illustrated Book relates a story about love and loss as only Chris Rashcka can tell it. Any child who has ever had a beloved toy break will relate to Daisy's anguish when her favorite ball is destroyed by a bigger dog. In the tradition of his nearly wordless picture book Yo! Yes?, Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka explores in pictures the joy and sadness that having a special toy can bring. Raschka's signature swirling, impressionistic illustrations and his affectionate story will particularly appeal to young dog lovers and teachers and parents who have children dealing with the loss of something special.
Why widely assigned
This Picture Book title, typically at grades k–2. Written in the 2010s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.
Where this book is assigned
Caldecott Medal
- recommended·Kindergarten gradesource: Caldecott Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2012 Caldecott Medal
- recommended·1st gradesource: Caldecott Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2012 Caldecott Medal
- recommended·2nd gradesource: Caldecott Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2012 Caldecott Medal
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See all books like A Ball for Daisy→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is A Ball for Daisy?
- A Ball for Daisy is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades K–2. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- How long does it take to read A Ball for Daisy?
- It takes about 40 minutes to read A Ball for Daisy (38 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 40 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- What curricula assign A Ball for Daisy?
- A Ball for Daisy appears on reading lists for Caldecott Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is A Ball for Daisy banned in schools?
- A Ball for Daisy 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 K–2 — 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.