Cover of Radiant Child

Radiant Child

by Javaka Steptoe · Grades 2–5 · Picture Book

Radiant Child by Javaka Steptoe is on US reading lists at grades 2–5. It appears on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Grades 2–5 · 44 pages. The button opens the hardcover edition (ISBN 9780316394321). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Assigned across 2 curriculum lists

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 AwardCaldecott Medal

This page shows where Radiant Child 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 2–5
Pages
44
Reading time
about 50 minutes (est.)
First published
2016
Genre
Picture Book
ISBN-13
9780316394321

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-06-20; 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 Caldecott Medal?

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About this book

Book facts and sources (2)
Awards won
  • Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, 2017 (source: Wikipedia)
  • Caldecott Medal, 2017 (source: Wikipedia)
Catalog record
First published 2016 · 44 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)

Similar grade-level books

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

Why it is assigned

This picture book title is typically read at grades 2–5. Written in the 2010s; cited on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists.

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is Radiant Child?
Radiant Child is listed for grades 2–5. It appears on 2 book-award lists, from kindergarten to grade 5. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read Radiant Child?
It takes about 50 minutes to read Radiant Child (44 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 50 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Radiant Child?
Radiant Child appears on reading lists for Caldecott Medal, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Radiant Child banned in schools?
Radiant Child has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 2 states (FL, PA) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.

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 2–5 — drawn from the book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 2 curricula 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
Documented as challenged or removed in 2 states per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans — see the full banned & challenged books list.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-winner, read-aloud.

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