Hello, Universe
by Erin Entrada Kelly
- Lexile
- 690L
- Grade range
- Grades 3–7
- Age range
- Ages 8–12
- Pages
- 320
- First published
- 2017
- Genre
- Middle Grade Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780062414151
Where to find this book
About this book
Four sixth-graders in a Pacific Northwest town intersect over a single afternoon when Virgil Salinas, a shy Filipino-American boy, falls down a well. Kelly's 2018 Newbery Medal winner is widely assigned in 4-6 grade for its rotating four-narrator structure and lens on neurodivergence, friendship, and Filipino-American family.
Themes
- Filipino-American identity
- friendship
- neurodivergence (deafness, anxiety)
- bullying
- rotating narrators
Content notes
- bullying
- mild peril (boy in a well)
Common Sense Media recommends age 9+.
Where this book is assigned
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
- recommended· 4th gradesource: CCSS ELA grades 4-5 Newbery Medal 2018
- recommended· 5th gradesource: CCSS ELA grades 4-5 contemporary Newbery winner
- recommended· 6th gradesource: CCSS ELA grades 6-8 contemporary diverse exemplar
Similar grade-level books
Common questions
- What grade level is Hello, Universe?
- Hello, Universe is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–7, with a Lexile measure of 690L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What is the Lexile level of Hello, Universe?
- Hello, Universe has a Lexile measure of 690L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
- What curricula assign Hello, Universe?
- Hello, Universe appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Hello, Universe banned in schools?
- Hello, Universe 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 Hello, Universe explore?
- Central themes in Hello, Universe include Filipino-American identity, friendship, neurodivergence (deafness, anxiety), bullying, rotating narrators. 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
- 690L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades 3–7 — 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
- No seasonal or program-specific tags on this book.