What grade level is Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush?

Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush is listed for grades 4–9. It appears on 2 book-award lists. Exact placement varies by school and district.

How long does it take to read Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush?

It takes about 3h 10m to read Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush (173 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 190 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush?

Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush appears on reading lists for Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, Coretta Scott King Author Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush banned in schools?

Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush 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.

Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush

Name: Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush
Availability: InStock
Author: Virginia Hamilton
ISBN: 9781453213858

by Virginia Hamilton · Grades 4–9 · Children's

Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush by Virginia Hamilton is on US reading lists at grades 4–9. It appears on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Grades 4–9 · 173 pages. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9781453213858). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Assigned across 2 curriculum lists

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:Coretta Scott King Author Award Boston Globe–Horn Book Award

This page shows where Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush 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 4–9
Pages: 173
Reading time: about 3h 10m (est.)
First published: 1982
Genre: Children's
ISBN-13: 9781453213858

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-06-20; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

Good fit for grade 4?

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 Coretta Scott King Award?

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About this book

Book facts and sources (2)

Award won: Coretta Scott King Author Award, 1983 (source: Wikipedia)
On award reading lists: Boston Globe–Horn Book Award (source: Wikipedia)
Catalog record: First published 1982 · 173 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why it is assigned

This children's title is typically read at grades 4–9. Written in the 1980s; cited on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists.

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush?: Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush is listed for grades 4–9. It appears on 2 book-award lists. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush?: It takes about 3h 10m to read Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush (173 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 190 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush?: Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush appears on reading lists for Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, Coretta Scott King Author Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush banned in schools?: Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush 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

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 4–9 — drawn from the book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment: Cited in 2 curricula 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, read-aloud.