What grade level is Awkward?

Awkward is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–5. 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 Awkward?

It takes about 3h 50m to read Awkward (210 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 230 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

Is Awkward banned in schools?

Awkward 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.

What themes does Awkward explore?

Central themes in Awkward include basic reader, middle schools, comics & graphic novels, popularity. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Awkward

Name: Awkward
Availability: InStock
Author: Svetlana Chmakova
ISBN: 9780316381307

by Svetlana Chmakova

Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

On reading-award lists:Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award (Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards), Grades 3-5 & Grades 6-8 divisions

Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova is assigned in US schools at grades 3–5. It appears across 1 curriculum reference 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 Awkward 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 3–5
Age range: Ages 8–10
Pages: 210
Reading time: about 3h 50m (est.)
First published: 2015
Genre: Graphic Novel
ISBN-13: 9780316381307

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About this book

Penelope Torres (or Peppi, for short,) is a new student at a new school. Unfortunately, the first day didn't turn out so good. She trips and drops her stuff, and a nice boy, Jaime Tompson, was so kind to pick up her stuff and hand it to her. The bullies made fun of Jaime, and called him "Nerder," and as Peppi didn't want to look bad, especially on her first day, she took her stuff and ran. For weeks, **months** she couldn't work the nerve to apologize. She passes by other various obstacles in her student life, as well as making new friends and joining an art club in her school.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Awkward→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Graphic Novel title, typically at grades 3–5. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on basic reader and middle schools; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

basic reader · middle schools · comics & graphic novels · popularity

Where this book is assigned

Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award (Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards), Grades 3-5 & Grades 6-8 divisions

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Common questions

What grade level is Awkward?: Awkward is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–5. 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 Awkward?: It takes about 3h 50m to read Awkward (210 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 230 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Awkward?: Awkward appears on reading lists for Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award (Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards), Grades 3-5 & Grades 6-8 divisions. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Awkward banned in schools?: Awkward 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.
What themes does Awkward explore?: Central themes in Awkward include basic reader, middle schools, comics & graphic novels, popularity. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

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 3–5 — 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: 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: book-club.