What grade level is Cracker Jackson?

Cracker Jackson is listed for grades 4–8. It appears on 1 state book-award list across 1 state. Exact placement varies by school and district.

How long does it take to read Cracker Jackson?

It takes about 2h 30m to read Cracker Jackson (137 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 150 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Cracker Jackson?

Cracker Jackson appears on reading lists for William Allen White Children's Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Cracker Jackson banned in schools?

Cracker Jackson 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.

What themes does Cracker Jackson explore?

Central themes in Cracker Jackson include wife abuse, boys, fiction, adventure and adventurers, fiction.

Cracker Jackson

Name: Cracker Jackson
Availability: InStock
Author: Betsy Cromer Byars
ISBN: 9780670805464

by Betsy Cromer Byars · Grades 4–8 · Adventure

Cracker Jackson by Betsy Cromer Byars is on US reading lists at grades 4–8. It appears on 1 list: the William Allen White Children's Book Award, across 1 state. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).

On reading-award lists:William Allen White Children's Book Award

This page shows where Cracker Jackson 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 4–8
Age range: Ages 9–13
Pages: 137
Reading time: about 2h 30m (est.)
First published: 1985
Genre: Adventure
ISBN-13: 9780670805464

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-09-24; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

Good fit for grade 4?

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Similar grade-level books

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

Why it is assigned

This adventure title is typically read at grades 4–8. Written in the 1980s; pairs with curriculum units on wife abuse and boys, fiction; cited on the William Allen White Children's Book Award.

Themes

wife abuse · boys, fiction · adventure and adventurers, fiction

Where this book is recommended

William Allen White Children's Book Award

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Common questions

What grade level is Cracker Jackson?: Cracker Jackson is listed for grades 4–8. It appears on 1 state book-award list across 1 state. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read Cracker Jackson?: It takes about 2h 30m to read Cracker Jackson (137 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 150 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Cracker Jackson?: Cracker Jackson appears on reading lists for William Allen White Children's Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Cracker Jackson banned in schools?: Cracker Jackson 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.
What themes does Cracker Jackson explore?: Central themes in Cracker Jackson include wife abuse, boys, fiction, adventure and adventurers, fiction.

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 the state book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment: Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence: On state book-award lists in 1 state (see citations above).
Removal / banning records: No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags: Tagged for: book-club.