What grade level is Smoky Night?

Smoky Night is listed for grades 1–4. It appears on 1 book-award list. Exact placement varies by school and district.

How long does it take to read Smoky Night?

It takes about 40 minutes to read Smoky Night (36 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 40 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Smoky Night?

Smoky Night appears on reading lists for Caldecott Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Smoky Night banned in schools?

Smoky Night 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.

What themes does Smoky Night explore?

Central themes in Smoky Night include riots, interpersonal relations, neighborliness, human relations.

Smoky Night

Name: Smoky Night
Availability: InStock
Author: Eve Bunting
ISBN: 9780152699543

by Eve Bunting · Grades 1–4 · Adventure

Smoky Night by Eve Bunting is on US reading lists at grades 1–4. It appears on 1 list: the Caldecott Medal. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 6–9 · Grades 1–4 · 36 pages. The button opens the hardcover edition (ISBN 9780152699543). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Assigned across 1 curriculum list

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:Caldecott Medal

This page shows where Smoky Night 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 1–4
Age range: Ages 6–9
Pages: 36
Reading time: about 40 minutes (est.)
First published: 1994
Genre: Adventure
ISBN-13: 9780152699543

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-09-23; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

Good fit for grade 1?

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?

More formats & details

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Similar grade-level books

See all books like Smoky Night→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why it is assigned

This adventure title is typically read at grades 1–4. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on riots and interpersonal relations; cited on the Caldecott Medal.

Themes

riots · interpersonal relations · neighborliness · human relations

Where this book is recommended

Caldecott Medal

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Common questions

What grade level is Smoky Night?: Smoky Night is listed for grades 1–4. It appears on 1 book-award list. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read Smoky Night?: It takes about 40 minutes to read Smoky Night (36 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 40 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Smoky Night?: Smoky Night appears on reading lists for Caldecott Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Smoky Night banned in schools?: Smoky Night 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.
What themes does Smoky Night explore?: Central themes in Smoky Night include riots, interpersonal relations, neighborliness, human relations.

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 1–4 — drawn from the 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: Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
Removal / banning records: No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags: Tagged for: award-winner.