Cover of Bronx Masquerade

Bronx Masquerade

by Nikki Grimes

Assigned across 1 curriculum list

Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes is assigned in US schools at grades 4–8. 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 Bronx Masquerade 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 4–8
Pages
178
Reading time
about 3h 15m (est.)
First published
2002
Genre
Young Adult Nonfiction
ISBN-13
9781440672811
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About this book

This award-winning novel is a powerful exploration of self, an homage to spoken-word poetry, and an intriguing look into the life of eighteen teens. When Wesley Boone writes a poem for his high school English class, some of his classmates clamor to read their poems aloud too. Soon they're having weekly poetry sessions and, one by one, the eighteen students are opening up and taking on the risky challenge of self-revelation. There's Lupe Alvarin, desperate to have a baby so she will feel loved. Raynard Patterson, hiding a secret behind his silence. Porscha Johnson, needing an outlet for her anger after her mother OD's. Through the poetry they share and narratives in which they reveal their most intimate thoughts about themselves and one another, their words and lives show what lies beneath

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Why widely assigned

This Young Adult Nonfiction title, typically at grades 4–8. Written in the 2000s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

Common questions

What grade level is Bronx Masquerade?
Bronx Masquerade 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 Bronx Masquerade?
It takes about 3h 15m to read Bronx Masquerade (178 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 195 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Bronx Masquerade?
Bronx Masquerade appears on reading lists for Coretta Scott King Author Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Bronx Masquerade banned in schools?
Bronx Masquerade 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 4–8 — 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: award-winner.
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