Cover of Let it Shine

Let it Shine

by Ashley Bryan · Grades K–5 · Picture Book

Let it Shine by Ashley Bryan is on US reading lists at grades k–5. It appears on 1 list: the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. Every citation below links to the primary source.

Buy on Amazon

Formats on Amazon

Free at your library: Libby

Before you buy: Grades K–5 · 48 pages. The button opens the hardcover edition (ISBN 9781481409919). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

Listen free on Audiblestarts instantly

Audible trial: new members only. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Assigned across 1 curriculum list

Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).

On reading-award lists:Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award

This page shows where Let it Shine is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Reading level at a glance

Grade range
Grades K–5
Pages
48
Reading time
about 55 minutes (est.)
First published
2013
Genre
Picture Book
ISBN-13
9781481409919

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-06-18; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

Good fit for kindergarten?

If you have read it with a child or a class in this grade, tell other parents and teachers. One tap, no account.

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade · What is the Coretta Scott King Award?

More formats & details

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you. Pricing, Prime, and trial terms shown on Amazon.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Let it Shine→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why it is assigned

This picture book title is typically read at grades k–5. Written in the 2010s; cited on the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award.

Where this book is recommended

Was this page helpful?

Common questions

What grade level is Let it Shine?
Let it Shine is listed for grades K–5. It appears on 1 book-award list. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read Let it Shine?
It takes about 55 minutes to read Let it Shine (48 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 55 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Let it Shine?
Let it Shine appears on reading lists for Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Let it Shine banned in schools?
Let it Shine 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–5 — drawn from the book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where recommended” 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: read-aloud.

Keep browsing

Find ReadingList in your Google results more often: