Cover of Jelly Belly

Jelly Belly

by Robert Kimmel Smith

Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

Jelly Belly by Robert Kimmel Smith is assigned in US schools at grades 3–6. 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 Jelly Belly 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 3–6
Pages
161
Reading time
about 2h 55m (est.)
Genre
Juvenile Fiction
ISBN-13
9780307533098
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About this book

It's tough for eleven-year-old Ned—or Jelly Belly, as he’s known at school—to stop eating. At four feet eight inches tall, he weighs 109 pounds, and he keeps growing—wider! When his parents send him to a sleepaway diet camp, he and his bunkmates can't quite give up their old habits. Nightly "cheating" adventures keep the boys plump, betraying their secret trips. When Ned finally realizes there’s only one way to lose weight for good, his whole family is glad to help—except Grandma. Grandma loves to cook for Ned and is hurt when he rejects her treats. Can he resist temptation without hurting his grandma and himself?

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Why widely assigned

This Juvenile Fiction title, typically at grades 3–6. Published in the canon; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

Common questions

What grade level is Jelly Belly?
Jelly Belly is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–6. 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 Jelly Belly?
It takes about 2h 55m to read Jelly Belly (161 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 175 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Jelly Belly?
Jelly Belly appears on reading lists for Hawai'i Nēnē Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Jelly Belly banned in schools?
Jelly Belly 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 3–6 — 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.
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