Cover of Shark Summer

Shark Summer

by Ira Marcks · Grades 4–8 · Realistic Fiction

Shark Summer by Ira Marcks is on US reading lists at grades 4–8. It appears on 1 list: the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, across 1 state. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 9–13 · Grades 4–8 · 256 pages. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9780316461443). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

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:Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award

This page shows where Shark Summer 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 4–8
Age range
Ages 9–13
Pages
256
Reading time
about 4h 40m (est.)
First published
2021
Genre
Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13
9780316461443

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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Why it is assigned

This realistic fiction title is typically read at grades 4–8. Written in the 2020s; cited on the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award.

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is Shark Summer?
Shark Summer is listed for grades 4–8. It appears on 1 state book-award list across 1 state. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read Shark Summer?
It takes about 4h 40m to read Shark Summer (256 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 280 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Shark Summer?
Shark Summer appears on reading lists for Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Shark Summer banned in schools?
Shark Summer 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. See the banned books list by state.

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 the state book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
On state book-award lists in 1 state (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: book-club.

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