Stepping Up
by Mark Fink
Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state
Stepping Up by Mark Fink is assigned in US schools at grades 3–8. It appears across 1 curriculum reference and 1 state, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where Stepping Up is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
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- Grade range
- Grades 3–8
- Age range
- Ages 8–13
- Pages
- 215
- Reading time
- about 3h 55m (est.)
- First published
- 2009
- Genre
- Realistic Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9781934813034
More formats & details
Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook
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About this book
Fourteen-year-old Ernie Dolan and his best friend Mike find their friendship tested while attending basketball camp, where Mike succumbs to peer pressure and begins teasing Ernie in the hopes of fitting in with the other boys, but when Ernie risks his life to save three of his teammates, he becomes the camp hero and the boys' relationship is altered once again. Fourteen-year-old Ernie and his best friend, Mike, find their friendship tested while attending basketball camp, when Mike succumbs to peer pressure and Ernie risks his life to save three of his campmates.
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See all books like Stepping Up→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Why widely assigned
This Realistic Fiction title, typically at grades 3–8. Written in the 2000s; pairs with curriculum units on basketball and basketball stories; cited across 1 curriculum framework.
Themes
basketball · basketball stories · camps · friendship
Where this book is assigned
Nevada Young Readers' Award
- recommended·3rd grade · Nevadasource: Nevada Young Readers' Award — Nevada's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 3-83-56-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·4th grade · Nevadasource: Nevada Young Readers' Award — Nevada's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 3-83-56-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·5th grade · Nevadasource: Nevada Young Readers' Award — Nevada's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 3-83-56-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·6th grade · Nevadasource: Nevada Young Readers' Award — Nevada's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 3-83-56-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·7th grade · Nevadasource: Nevada Young Readers' Award — Nevada's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 3-83-56-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·8th grade · Nevadasource: Nevada Young Readers' Award — Nevada's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 3-83-56-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
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Common questions
- What grade level is Stepping Up?
- Stepping Up is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–8. 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 Stepping Up?
- It takes about 3h 55m to read Stepping Up (215 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 235 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- What curricula assign Stepping Up?
- Stepping Up appears on reading lists for Nevada Young Readers' Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Stepping Up banned in schools?
- Stepping Up 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.
- What themes does Stepping Up explore?
- Central themes in Stepping Up include basketball, basketball stories, camps, friendship. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.
Why this book is on this list
How we classifyHide
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 3–8 — 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
- Cited in 1 state ELA framework or DOE list (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: book-club.