What grade level is Drive-By?

Drive-By is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–8. 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 Drive-By?

It takes about 1h 35m to read Drive-By (85 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 95 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

Is Drive-By banned in schools?

Drive-By 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 Drive-By explore?

Central themes in Drive-By include gangs, death, brothers and sisters, drive-by shootings. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Drive-By

Name: Drive-By
Availability: InStock
Author: Lynne Ewing
ISBN: 9780064406499

by Lynne Ewing

Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

On reading-award lists:Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award

Drive-By by Lynne Ewing is assigned in US schools at grades 3–8. 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 Drive-By 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 3–8
Age range: Ages 8–13
Pages: 85
Reading time: about 1h 35m (est.)
First published: 1996
Genre: Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13: 9780064406499

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About this book

Twelve-year-old Tito, while helping to care for his little sister, struggles to find his way during the aftermath of his brother's death in a gang-related shooting.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Drive-By→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Realistic Fiction title, typically at grades 3–8. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on gangs and death; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

gangs · death · brothers and sisters · drive-by shootings

Where this book is assigned

Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award

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Common questions

What grade level is Drive-By?: Drive-By is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–8. 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 Drive-By?: It takes about 1h 35m to read Drive-By (85 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 95 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Drive-By?: Drive-By appears on reading lists for Grand Canyon Reader Award (Arizona) — formerly the Arizona Young Readers Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Drive-By banned in schools?: Drive-By 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 Drive-By explore?: Central themes in Drive-By include gangs, death, brothers and sisters, drive-by shootings. 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 3–8 — 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: 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.