
Because of Mr. Terupt
by Rob Buyea · Grades 3–5
Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea is on US reading lists at grades 3–5. It appears on 6 lists: 6 book-award lists, across 6 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.
Before you buy: Grades 3–5 · 290 pages. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9780375896156). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.
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Among the most widely assigned — 6 curriculum lists · 6 states
#63 most-assigned book in America — on school reading lists in 6 states (2026-07-13 study of 13,258 assignments).
Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).
This page shows where Because of Mr. Terupt is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
Reading level at a glance
Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-07-07; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.
Good fit for grade 3?
If you have read it with a child or a class in this grade, tell other parents and teachers. One tap, no account.
New to these terms? Reading levels by grade
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About this book
Book facts and sources (6)
- Award won
- Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award, 2014 (source: Goodreads)
- On award reading lists
- Iowa Children's Choice Award (source: Goodreads)
- Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award (source: nutmegaward.org)
- Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award (source: azla.org)
- Nebraska Golden Sower Award (source: nebraskalibraries.org)
and 1 more in where it is taught
- Catalog record
- First published 2010 · 290 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)
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Where this book is recommended
Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award
- recommended·3rd grade · Arizonasource: Arizona Library Association — Grand Canyon Reader Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Tween divisions; annual since 1977)
- recommended·4th grade · Arizonasource: Arizona Library Association — Grand Canyon Reader Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Tween divisions; annual since 1977)
- recommended·5th grade · Arizonasource: Arizona Library Association — Grand Canyon Reader Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Tween divisions; annual since 1977)
Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award
- recommended·3rd grade · Connecticutsource: Connecticut Library Association + Connecticut Association of School Librarians — Nutmeg Book Award (student-choice; Elementary/Intermediate/Middle/Teen; annual since 1993)
- recommended·4th grade · Connecticutsource: Connecticut Library Association + Connecticut Association of School Librarians — Nutmeg Book Award (student-choice; Elementary/Intermediate/Middle/Teen; annual since 1993)
- recommended·5th grade · Connecticutsource: Connecticut Library Association + Connecticut Association of School Librarians — Nutmeg Book Award (student-choice; Elementary/Intermediate/Middle/Teen; annual since 1993)
Iowa Children's Choice Award
- recommended·3rd grade · Iowasource: Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) — Iowa's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 3-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·4th grade · Iowasource: Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) — Iowa's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 3-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·5th grade · Iowasource: Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) — Iowa's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 3-6): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award
- recommended·3rd grade · Minnesotasource: Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award winners (Minnesota Youth Reading Awards / MYRA), via Goodreads award record — 2014
- recommended·4th grade · Minnesotasource: Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award winners (Minnesota Youth Reading Awards / MYRA), via Goodreads award record — 2014
- recommended·5th grade · Minnesotasource: Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award winners (Minnesota Youth Reading Awards / MYRA), via Goodreads award record — 2014
Nebraska Golden Sower Award
- recommended·3rd grade · Nebraskasource: Nebraska Library Association — Golden Sower Award (student-choice; Honeybee grades 3-5 + Meadowlark grades 6-9; annual since 1981)
- recommended·4th grade · Nebraskasource: Nebraska Library Association — Golden Sower Award (student-choice; Honeybee grades 3-5 + Meadowlark grades 6-9; annual since 1981)
- recommended·5th grade · Nebraskasource: Nebraska Library Association — Golden Sower Award (student-choice; Honeybee grades 3-5 + Meadowlark grades 6-9; annual since 1981)
Young Hoosier Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award Past Winners (Intermediate grades 4-6 + Middle Grade grades 6-8; annual since 1975)
- recommended·5th grade · Indianasource: Indiana Library Federation — Young Hoosier Book Award Past Winners (Intermediate grades 4-6 + Middle Grade grades 6-8; annual since 1975)
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Common questions
- What grade level is Because of Mr. Terupt?
- Because of Mr. Terupt is listed for grades 3–5. It appears on 6 state book-award lists across 6 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.
- How long does it take to read Because of Mr. Terupt?
- It takes about 5h 20m to read Because of Mr. Terupt (290 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 320 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- What curricula assign Because of Mr. Terupt?
- Because of Mr. Terupt appears on reading lists for Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award, Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award, Iowa Children's Choice Award, and 3 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Because of Mr. Terupt banned in schools?
- Because of Mr. Terupt 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 classifyHide
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 the state book-award lists citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 6 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- On state book-award lists in 6 states (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: award-winner, book-club.