It's All or Nothing, Vale

About this book

A poignant novel in verse in which, after a life-changing accident, one girl finds her way back to her life’s passion. From the Newbery Honor-winning author of Iveliz Explains It All. A BOOKLIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR All these months of staring at the wall? All these months of feeling weak? It’s ending— I’m going back to fencing. And then it’ll be like nothing ever happened. No one knows hard work and dedication like Valentina Camacho. And Vale’s thing is fencing. She’s the top athlete at her fencing gym. Or she was . . . until the accident. After months away, Vale is finally cleared to fence again, but it’s much harder than before. Her body doesn’t move the way it used to, and worst of all is the new number one: Myrka. When she sweeps Vale aside with her perfect form and easy smile, Vale

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Why widely assigned

This Juvenile Fiction title, typically at grades 6–8. Published in the canon; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

• Great Lakes Great Books Award

  • recommended·6th grade · Michigansource: 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) — 6-8 division
  • recommended·7th grade · Michigansource: 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) — 6-8 division
  • recommended·8th grade · Michigansource: 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) — 6-8 division

Common questions

What grade level is It's All or Nothing, Vale?

It's All or Nothing, Vale is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 6–8. 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 It's All or Nothing, Vale?

It takes about 5 hours to read It's All or Nothing, Vale (273 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 300 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign It's All or Nothing, Vale?

It's All or Nothing, Vale appears on reading lists for Great Lakes Great Books Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is It's All or Nothing, Vale banned in schools?

It's All or Nothing, Vale 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.