What grade level is Home in a Lunchbox?

Home in a Lunchbox is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades K–1. 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 Home in a Lunchbox?

It takes about 25 minutes to read Home in a Lunchbox (23 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 25 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Home in a Lunchbox?

Home in a Lunchbox appears on reading lists for Great Lakes Great Books Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Home in a Lunchbox banned in schools?

Home in a Lunchbox 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.

Home in a Lunchbox

Name: Home in a Lunchbox
Availability: InStock
Author: Cherry Mo
ISBN: 9780593753439

by Cherry Mo

Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

On reading-award lists:Great Lakes Great Books Award

Home in a Lunchbox by Cherry Mo is assigned in US schools at grades k–1. 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 Home in a Lunchbox is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

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Grade range: Grades K–1
Pages: 23
Reading time: about 25 minutes (est.)
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN-13: 9780593753439

More formats & details

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About this book

**WINNER OF THE CALDECOTT HONOR** Cherry Mo's stunning debut is about a young girl who immigrates to America and finds home in an unexpected place. When Jun moves from Hong Kong to America, the only words she knows are hello, thank you, I don’t know, and toilet. Her new school feels foreign and terrifying. But when she opens her lunchbox to find her favorite meals—like bao, dumplings, and bok choy—she realizes home isn’t so far away after all. Through lush art and spare dialogue, Cherry Mo’s breathtakingly beautiful debut picture book reminds readers that friendship and belonging can be found in every bite.

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See all books like Home in a Lunchbox→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Juvenile Fiction title, typically at grades k–1. Published in the canon; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

Great Lakes Great Books Award
- recommended·Kindergarten grade · Michigan source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award 2026-27 nominee (official GLGBA nominee press release + nominees list, announced March 7, 2026 at the MRA Annual Conference; Michigan students vote through January 9, 2027) — K-1 division
- recommended·1st grade · Michigan source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award 2026-27 nominee (official GLGBA nominee press release + nominees list, announced March 7, 2026 at the MRA Annual Conference; Michigan students vote through January 9, 2027) — K-1 division

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Common questions

What grade level is Home in a Lunchbox?: Home in a Lunchbox is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades K–1. 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 Home in a Lunchbox?: It takes about 25 minutes to read Home in a Lunchbox (23 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 25 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Home in a Lunchbox?: Home in a Lunchbox appears on reading lists for Great Lakes Great Books Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Home in a Lunchbox banned in schools?: Home in a Lunchbox 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

How we classify

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–1 — 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.