Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
- Lexile
- 1000L
- Grade range
- Grades 7–12
- Age range
- Ages 12–18
- Pages
- 320
- First published
- 2020
- Genre
- Young Adult Nonfiction / History
- ISBN-13
- 9780316453691
Where to find this book
About this book
Jason Reynolds' 'remix' of Ibram X. Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning traces the history of racist ideas in America from the 1400s to the present. The book is among the most-assigned texts in US middle school and high school US history and social studies courses since 2020, and also among the most-challenged per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans.
Themes
- history of racism
- antiracism
- American history
- civil rights movement
- historical literacy
Content notes
- historical violence
- slavery
- lynching (discussed)
- racial slurs (historical context)
Common Sense Media recommends age 12+.
Where this book is assigned
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
- recommended· 8th gradesource: CCSS ELA grades 6-8 contemporary nonfiction history
- recommended· 9th gradesource: CCSS ELA grades 9-10 nonfiction historical analysis
- recommended· 10th gradesource: CCSS ELA grades 9-10 nonfiction historical analysis
Similar grade-level books
Common questions
- What grade level is Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You?
- Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 7–12, with a Lexile measure of 1000L. 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 Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You?
- Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You has a Lexile measure of 1000L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
- What curricula assign Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You?
- Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You banned in schools?
- Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 6 states (FL, TX, MO, PA, TN, SC) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.
- What themes does Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You explore?
- Central themes in Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You include history of racism, antiracism, American history, civil rights movement, historical literacy. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.
Why this book is on this list
Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.
- Lexile measure
- 1000L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades 7–12 — 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
- Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
- Removal / banning records
- Documented as challenged or removed in 6 states per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- No seasonal or program-specific tags on this book.