Cover of Freewater

Freewater

by Amina Luqman-Dawson

Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson is assigned in US schools at grades 4–7. It appears across 2 curriculum references, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Freewater 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 4–7
Pages
294
Reading time
about 5h 25m (est.)
First published
2022
ISBN-13
9780316056748
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About this book

Winner of the John Newbery Medal Winner of the Coretta Scott King Author Award Award-winning author Amina Luqman-Dawson pens a lyrical, accessible historical middle-grade novel about two enslaved children’s escape from a plantation and the many ways they find freedom. After an entire young life of enslavement, twelve-year-old Homer escapes Southerland Plantation with his little sister Ada, leaving his beloved mother behind. Much as he adores her and fears for her life, Homer knows there’s no turning back, not with the overseer on their trail. Through tangled vines, secret doorways, and over a sky bridge, the two find a secret community called Freewater, deep in the recesses of the swamp. In this new, free society made up of escaped slaves and some born-free children, Homer cautiously embra

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is Freewater?
Freewater is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–7. 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 Freewater?
It takes about 5h 25m to read Freewater (294 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 325 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Freewater?
Freewater appears on reading lists for Coretta Scott King Author Award, Newbery Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Freewater banned in schools?
Freewater 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 4–7 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 2 curricula 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: award-winner.