What grade level is Nightjohn?

Nightjohn is listed for grades 6–8. It appears on 1 state book-award list across 1 state. Exact placement varies by school and district.

How long does it take to read Nightjohn?

It takes about 1h 40m to read Nightjohn (92 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 100 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Nightjohn?

Nightjohn appears on reading lists for Young Hoosier Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Nightjohn banned in schools?

Nightjohn 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. See the banned books list by state.

What themes does Nightjohn explore?

Central themes in Nightjohn include slavery, manfred mann, freundschaft, sklave.

Nightjohn

Name: Nightjohn
Availability: InStock
Author: Gary Paulsen
ISBN: 9780440820727

by Gary Paulsen · Grades 6–8 · Historical Fiction

Nightjohn by Gary Paulsen is on US reading lists at grades 6–8. It appears on 1 list: the Young Hoosier Book Award, across 1 state. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 11–13 · Grades 6–8 · 92 pages. The button opens the print edition (ISBN 9780440820727). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

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:Young Hoosier Book Award

This page shows where Nightjohn 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 6–8
Age range: Ages 11–13
Pages: 92
Reading time: about 1h 40m (est.)
First published: 1993
Genre: Historical Fiction
ISBN-13: 9780440820727

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-09-24; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

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Similar grade-level books

See all books like Nightjohn→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why it is assigned

This historical fiction title is typically read at grades 6–8. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on slavery and manfred mann; cited on the Young Hoosier Book Award.

Themes

slavery · manfred mann · freundschaft · sklave

Where this book is recommended

Young Hoosier Book Award

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Common questions

What grade level is Nightjohn?: Nightjohn is listed for grades 6–8. It appears on 1 state book-award list across 1 state. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read Nightjohn?: It takes about 1h 40m to read Nightjohn (92 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 100 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Nightjohn?: Nightjohn appears on reading lists for Young Hoosier Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Nightjohn banned in schools?: Nightjohn 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. See the banned books list by state.
What themes does Nightjohn explore?: Central themes in Nightjohn include slavery, manfred mann, freundschaft, sklave.

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 6–8 — drawn from the state 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: On state book-award lists in 1 state (see citations above).
Removal / banning records: No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags: Tagged for: book-club.