Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
by Mildred D. Taylor
- Lexile
- 920L
- Grade range
- Grades 5–8
- Age range
- Ages 10–14
- Pages
- 276
- First published
- 1976
- Genre
- Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)
- ISBN-13
- 9780140384512
About this book
Nine-year-old Cassie Logan and her Black family hold their own against Jim Crow-era racism in Depression Mississippi. Taylor's Newbery Medal-winning novel is a near-universal 5th-8th grade American-history cross-curricular text and appears on Common Core and state-DOE 6th-8th grade lists.
Themes
- racism
- family
- dignity
- historical injustice
- resistance
Content notes
- racial slurs (historical)
- racial violence
- mob threats
Common Sense Media recommends age 10+.
Where this book is assigned
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
- recommended· 7th gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 6-8 exemplar
- recommended· 7th grade · Georgiasource: Georgia Standards of Excellence grade 7 aligned reading
- recommended· 7th grade · Mississippisource: Mississippi CCR Standards grade 7 aligned text (MS setting)
- recommended· 8th gradesource: Common Core aligned summer-reading list — rising 8th grade
Similar grade-level books
Common questions
- What grade level is Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry?
- Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 5–8, with a Lexile measure of 920L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What is the Lexile level of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry?
- Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry has a Lexile measure of 920L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
- What curricula assign Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry?
- Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry banned in schools?
- Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 2 states (TX, FL) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.
- What themes does Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry explore?
- Central themes in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry include racism, family, dignity, historical injustice, resistance. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.