Cover of Starfish

Starfish

by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Assigned across 1 curriculum list

Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman is assigned in US schools at grades 9–12. It appears across 1 curriculum reference, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Starfish is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Grade range
Grades 9–12
Pages
320
Reading time
about 5h 50m (est.)
First published
2018
Genre
Young Adult
ISBN-13
9781785301612
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About this book

Kiko Himura has always had a hard time saying exactly what she's thinking. With a mother who makes her feel unremarkable and a half-Japanese heritage she doesn't quite understand, Kiko prefers to keep her head down, certain that once she makes it into her dream art school, Prism, her real life will begin. But then Kiko doesn't get into Prism, at the same time her abusive uncle moves back in with her family. So when she receives an invitation from her childhood friend to leave her small town and tour art schools on the west coast, Kiko jumps at the opportunity in spite of the anxieties and fears that attempt to hold her back. And now that she is finally free to be her own person outside the constricting walls of her home life, Kiko learns life-changing truths about herself, her past, and ho

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Why widely assigned

This Young Adult title, typically at grades 9–12. Written in the 2010s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

Common questions

What grade level is Starfish?
Starfish is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–12. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
How long does it take to read Starfish?
It takes about 5h 50m to read Starfish (320 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 350 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Starfish?
Starfish appears on reading lists for William C. Morris YA Debut Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Starfish banned in schools?
Starfish 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.

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
Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band
Grades 9–12 — 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
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: read-aloud.
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