What grade level is Pink and Say?

Pink and Say 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 Pink and Say?

It takes about 1 hour to read Pink and Say (53 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 60 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Pink and Say?

Pink and Say appears on reading lists for Maine Student Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Pink and Say banned in schools?

Pink and Say 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 Pink and Say explore?

Central themes in Pink and Say include united states, united states civil war, 1861-1865, friendship, spanish language materials. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Pink and Say

Name: Pink and Say
Availability: InStock
Author: Patricia Polacco
ISBN: 9781880507308

by Patricia Polacco

Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

On reading-award lists:Maine Student Book Award

Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco 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 Pink and Say is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

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Grade range: Grades 4–8
Age range: Ages 9–13
Pages: 53
Reading time: about 1 hour (est.)
First published: 1994
Genre: Historical Fiction
ISBN-13: 9781880507308

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About this book

Say Curtis describes his meeting with Pinkus Aylee, a black soldier, during the Civil War, and their capture by Southern troops. Based on a true story about the author's great-great-grandfather.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Pink and Say→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Historical Fiction title, typically at grades 4–8. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on united states and united states civil war, 1861-1865; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

united states · united states civil war, 1861-1865 · friendship · spanish language materials

Where this book is assigned

Maine Student Book Award

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Common questions

What grade level is Pink and Say?: Pink and Say 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 Pink and Say?: It takes about 1 hour to read Pink and Say (53 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 60 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Pink and Say?: Pink and Say appears on reading lists for Maine Student Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Pink and Say banned in schools?: Pink and Say 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 Pink and Say explore?: Central themes in Pink and Say include united states, united states civil war, 1861-1865, friendship, spanish language materials. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

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 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.