Cover of A First Time for Everything

A First Time for Everything

by Dan Santat

Assigned across 2 curriculum lists · 1 state

On reading-award lists:Charlotte AwardNational Book Award for Young People's Literature

A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat is assigned in US schools at grades 4–8. It appears across 2 curriculum references and 1 state, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where A First Time for Everything is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

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Grade range
Grades 4–8
Pages
322
Reading time
about 5h 55m (est.)
First published
2023
ISBN-13
9781250322098

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

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About this book

*Winner of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature* A middle grade graphic memoir based on bestselling author and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat's awkward middle school years and the trip to Europe that changed his life. Dan's always been a good kid. The kind of kid who listens to his teachers, helps his mom with grocery shopping, and stays out of trouble. But being a good kid doesn't stop him from being bullied and feeling like he's invisible, which is why Dan has low expectations when his parents send him on a class trip to Europe. At first, he's right. He's stuck with the same girls from his middle school who love to make fun of him, and he doesn't know why his teacher insisted he come on this trip. But as he travels through France, Germany, Switzerland, and England, a seri

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Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is A First Time for Everything?
A First Time for Everything is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–8. 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 First Time for Everything?
It takes about 5h 55m to read A First Time for Everything (322 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 355 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign A First Time for Everything?
A First Time for Everything appears on reading lists for Charlotte Award, National Book Award for Young People's Literature. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is A First Time for Everything banned in schools?
A First Time for Everything 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

How we classify

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 4–8 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 2 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 1 state ELA framework or DOE list (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-winner, book-club.

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