Cover of Duel

Duel

by Jessixa Bagley

Duel by Jessixa Bagley is assigned in US schools at grades 4–8. 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 Duel 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
Age range
Ages 9–13
Pages
320
Reading time
about 5h 50m (est.)
First published
2023
Genre
Middle Grade Graphic Novel
ISBN-13
9781534496552
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About this book

Sisters who haven't spoken since their father — their fencing coach — died finally let their grief boil over, and agree to settle it the way he taught them: a fencing duel at school. Jessixa Bagley and illustrator Aaron Bagley's graphic novel is a moving story about sibling grief and love. Nominated for the 2026 Sasquatch Book Award (grades 4-8), the Washington Library Association's statewide young-readers' choice award.

Why widely assigned

This Middle Grade Graphic Novel title, typically at grades 4–8. Written in the 2020s; pairs with curriculum units on grief and sisters; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

grief · sisters · family

Content notes

death of parent

Where this book is assigned

Similar grade-level books

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

Common questions

What grade level is Duel?
Duel 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 Duel?
It takes about 5h 50m to read Duel (320 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 350 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Duel?
Duel appears on reading lists for Washington Sasquatch Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Duel banned in schools?
Duel 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 Duel explore?
Central themes in Duel include grief, sisters, family. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

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
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.