Black Brother, Black Brother
by Jewell Parker Rhodes · Grades 5–8 · Realistic Fiction
Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes is on US reading lists at grades 5–8. It appears on 3 lists: 3 book-award lists, across 3 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.
Before you buy: Ages 10–13 · Grades 5–8. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9781510109872). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.
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Widely assigned — 3 curriculum lists · 3 states
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 Black Brother, Black Brother 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
- Grade range
- Grades 5–8
- Age range
- Ages 10–13
- First published
- 2021
- Genre
- Realistic Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9781510109872
Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-06-12; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.
Good fit for grade 5?
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About this book
Book facts and sources (3)
- On award reading lists
- Great Lakes Great Books Award (source: michiganreading.org)
- Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania) (source: pyrcapsla.wixsite.com)
- Kentucky Bluegrass Award (source: kasl.us)
- Catalog record
- First published 2021 (source: how we source book data)
Similar grade-level books
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See all books like Black Brother, Black Brother→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Why widely assigned
This realistic fiction title is typically read at grades 5–8. Written in the 2020s; pairs with curriculum units on racism and identity; cited on 3 lists: 3 book-award lists.
Where this book is recommended
Great Lakes Great Books Award
- recommended·5th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.
- recommended·6th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.
- recommended·7th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.
- recommended·8th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.
Kentucky Bluegrass Award
- recommended·5th grade · Kentuckysource: Kentucky Association of School Librarians — Kentucky Bluegrass Award Winner's Circle (grades 3-5 + 6-8; annual since 1983)
- recommended·6th grade · Kentuckysource: Kentucky Association of School Librarians — Kentucky Bluegrass Award Winner's Circle (grades 3-5 + 6-8; annual since 1983)
- recommended·7th grade · Kentuckysource: Kentucky Association of School Librarians — Kentucky Bluegrass Award Winner's Circle (grades 3-5 + 6-8; annual since 1983)
- recommended·8th grade · Kentuckysource: Kentucky Association of School Librarians — Kentucky Bluegrass Award Winner's Circle (grades 3-5 + 6-8; annual since 1983)
Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania)
- recommended·5th grade · Pennsylvaniasource: Mountain Laurel Book Award / Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award — PSLA official winners list (K-12 divisions), winners cross-verified via Goodreads award index
- recommended·6th grade · Pennsylvaniasource: Mountain Laurel Book Award / Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award — PSLA official winners list (K-12 divisions), winners cross-verified via Goodreads award index
- recommended·7th grade · Pennsylvaniasource: Mountain Laurel Book Award / Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award — PSLA official winners list (K-12 divisions), winners cross-verified via Goodreads award index
- recommended·8th grade · Pennsylvaniasource: Mountain Laurel Book Award / Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award — PSLA official winners list (K-12 divisions), winners cross-verified via Goodreads award index
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Common questions
- What grade level is Black Brother, Black Brother?
- Black Brother, Black Brother is listed for grades 5–8. It appears on 3 state book-award lists across 3 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.
- What curricula assign Black Brother, Black Brother?
- Black Brother, Black Brother appears on reading lists for Great Lakes Great Books Award, Kentucky Bluegrass Award, Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Black Brother, Black Brother banned in schools?
- Black Brother, Black Brother 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. See the banned books list by state.
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 5–8 — drawn from the state book-award lists citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 3 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- On state book-award lists in 3 states (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: book-club.