Cover of Freedom Over Me

Freedom Over Me

by Ashley Bryan

Freedom Over Me by Ashley Bryan is assigned in US schools at grades k–5. 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 Freedom Over Me 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 K–5
Pages
54
Reading time
about 1 hour (est.)
First published
2016
Genre
Children's
ISBN-13
9781481456913
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About this book

Newbery Honor Book Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book Using original slave auction and plantation estate documents, Ashley Bryan offers a moving and powerful picture book that contrasts the monetary value of a person with the priceless value of life experiences and dreams that a slave owner could never take away. Imagine being looked up and down and being valued as less than chair. Less than an ox. Less than a dress. Maybe about the same as…a lantern. This gentle yet deeply powerful way goes to the heart of how a slave is given a monetary value by the slave owner, tempering this with the one thing that can’t be bought or sold: dreams. Inspired by the actual will of a plantation owner that lists the worth of each and every one of his “workers,” th

Why widely assigned

This Children's title, typically at grades k–5. Written in the 2010s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is Freedom Over Me?
Freedom Over Me is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades K–5. 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 Freedom Over Me?
It takes about 1 hour to read Freedom Over Me (54 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 60 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Freedom Over Me?
Freedom Over Me appears on reading lists for Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Freedom Over Me banned in schools?
Freedom Over Me 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 K–5 — 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: read-aloud.