
Duel
by Jessixa Bagley · Grades 4–8 · Middle Grade Graphic Novel
Duel by Jessixa Bagley is on US reading lists at grades 4–8. It appears on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists, across 2 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.
Before you buy: Ages 9–13 · Grades 4–8 · 320 pages. Content notes: death of parent. The button opens the hardcover edition (ISBN 9781534496552). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.
Listen free on Audiblestarts instantlyAudible trial: new members only. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.
Assigned across 2 curriculum lists · 2 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 Duel 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
- 320
- Reading time
- about 5h 50m (est.)
- First published
- 2023
- Genre
- Middle Grade Graphic Novel
- ISBN-13
- 9781534496552
Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-06-10; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.
Good fit for grade 4?
If you have read it with a child or a class in this grade, tell other parents and teachers. One tap, no account.
New to these terms? Reading levels by grade
More formats & details
Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook
As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you. Pricing, Prime, and trial terms shown on Amazon.
More like this
Same grade band, chosen by theme and by how many reading lists carry them. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Dear Mr. HenshawBeverly ClearyAlso about grief · on 4 reading lists
Grades 4–6 · 142 pages
Check price on Amazon →
Sal and Gabi Break the UniverseCarlos HernandezAlso about grief · on 3 reading lists
Grades 4–7
Check price on Amazon →
Hope in the ValleyMitali PerkinsAlso about grief · on 1 reading list
Grades 3–6
Check price on Amazon →
CurveballPablo CartayaAlso about family · on 2 reading lists
Grades 3–5
Check price on Amazon →
FerrisKate DiCamilloAlso about family · on 5 reading lists
Grades 3–6
Check price on Amazon →
RascalSterling NorthAlso about family · on 4 reading lists
Grades 5–8 · 210 pages
Check price on Amazon →
Summer of the MonkeysWilson RawlsAlso about family · on 4 reading lists
Grades 4–7 · 283 pages
Check price on Amazon →
Gregor the OverlanderSuzanne CollinsAlso about family · on 3 reading lists
Grades 4–7
Check price on Amazon →
Pie in the SkyRemy LaiAlso about grief · on 3 reading lists
Grades 3–6
Check price on Amazon →
Surviving the ApplewhitesStephanie S. TolanAlso about family · on 3 reading lists
Grades 5–8
Check price on Amazon →
The Sherlock SocietyJames PontiAlso about family · on 3 reading lists
Grades 4–8 · 368 pages
Check price on Amazon →
Where the Mountain Meets the MoonGrace LinAlso about family · on 3 reading lists
810L · Grades 4–7 · 282 pages
Check price on Amazon →
About this book
Book facts and sources (2)
- On award reading lists
- Catalog record
- First published 2023 · 320 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)
Similar grade-level books
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee · 870L
Of Mice and MenJohn Steinbeck · 630L
The GiverLois Lowry · 760L
The OutsidersS.E. Hinton · 750L
See all books like Duel→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Why it is assigned
This middle grade graphic novel title is typically read at grades 4–8. Written in the 2020s; pairs with curriculum units on grief and sisters; cited on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists.
Content notes
death of parent
Where this book is recommended
Garden State Children's Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · New Jerseysource: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)
- recommended·5th grade · New Jerseysource: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)
- recommended·6th grade · New Jerseysource: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)
- recommended·7th grade · New Jerseysource: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)
- recommended·8th grade · New Jerseysource: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)
Washington Sasquatch Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · Washingtonsource: 2026 Sasquatch Book Award Nominees (Washington Library Association)
- recommended·5th grade · Washingtonsource: 2026 Sasquatch Book Award Nominees (Washington Library Association)
- recommended·6th grade · Washingtonsource: 2026 Sasquatch Book Award Nominees (Washington Library Association)
- recommended·7th grade · Washingtonsource: 2026 Sasquatch Book Award Nominees (Washington Library Association)
- recommended·8th grade · Washingtonsource: 2026 Sasquatch Book Award Nominees (Washington Library Association)
Was this page helpful?
Common questions
- What grade level is Duel?
- Duel is listed for grades 4–8. It appears on 2 state book-award lists across 2 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.
- 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 Garden State Children's Book Award, 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.
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 4–8 — drawn from the state book-award lists citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 2 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- On state book-award lists in 2 states (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: book-club.