Cover of Orbiting Jupiter

Orbiting Jupiter

by Gary D. Schmidt · Grades 7–10 · Realistic Fiction

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt is on US reading lists at grades 7–10. It appears on 5 lists: 5 book-award lists, across 5 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 12–15 · Grades 7–10. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9781448188208). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Among the most widely assigned — 5 curriculum lists · 5 states

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:Land of Enchantment Book AwardGreat Lakes Great Books AwardConnecticut Nutmeg Book AwardArizona Grand Canyon Reader Award+1 more

This page shows where Orbiting Jupiter 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 7–10
Age range
Ages 12–15
First published
2015
Genre
Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13
9781448188208

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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About this book

Book facts and sources (5)
On award reading lists

and 1 more in where it is taught

Catalog record
First published 2015 (source: how we source book data)

Similar grade-level books

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

Why widely assigned

This realistic fiction title is typically read at grades 7–10. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on fatherhood and loss; cited on 5 lists: 5 book-award lists.

Themes

fatherhood · loss · compassion

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is Orbiting Jupiter?
Orbiting Jupiter is listed for grades 7–10. It appears on 5 state book-award lists across 5 states, from grade 6 to grade 10. Exact placement varies by school and district.
What curricula assign Orbiting Jupiter?
Orbiting Jupiter appears on reading lists for Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award, Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award, Great Lakes Great Books Award, and 2 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Orbiting Jupiter banned in schools?
Orbiting Jupiter has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 1 state (FL) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.
What themes does Orbiting Jupiter explore?
Central themes in Orbiting Jupiter include fatherhood, loss, compassion.

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 7–10 — drawn from the state book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 5 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
On state book-award lists in 5 states (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
Documented as challenged or removed in 1 state per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans — see the full banned & challenged books list.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: book-club.

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