What grade level is Not Nothing?

Not Nothing is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–8. 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 Not Nothing?

It takes about 5h 15m to read Not Nothing (288 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 315 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Not Nothing?

Not Nothing appears on reading lists for Maine Student Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Not Nothing banned in schools?

Not Nothing 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.

What themes does Not Nothing explore?

Central themes in Not Nothing include redemption, friendship, history, empathy. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Not Nothing

Name: Not Nothing
Availability: InStock
Author: Gayle Forman
ISBN: 9781665943277

by Gayle Forman

Not Nothing by Gayle Forman is assigned in US schools at grades 4–8. 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 Not Nothing 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 4–8
Age range: Ages 9–13
Pages: 288
Reading time: about 5h 15m (est.)
First published: 2024
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
ISBN-13: 9781665943277

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About this book

After twelve-year-old Alex does something terrible, he is sent to do community service at a senior home, where he forms an unlikely bond with Josey, a 107-year-old Holocaust survivor whose story changes him. Gayle Forman's novel is about guilt, redemption, and the power of listening. Nominated for the 2025-2026 Maine Student Book Award (grades 4-8), the statewide reading list Maine students read from and vote on.

Why widely assigned

This Middle Grade Fiction title, typically at grades 4–8. Written in the 2020s; pairs with curriculum units on redemption and friendship; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

redemption · friendship · history · empathy

Content notes

Holocaust · violence

Where this book is assigned

Maine Student Book Award

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Not Nothing→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Common questions

What grade level is Not Nothing?: Not Nothing is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–8. 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 Not Nothing?: It takes about 5h 15m to read Not Nothing (288 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 315 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Not Nothing?: Not Nothing appears on reading lists for Maine Student Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Not Nothing banned in schools?: Not Nothing 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.
What themes does Not Nothing explore?: Central themes in Not Nothing include redemption, friendship, history, empathy. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

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 4–8 — 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.