Talkin' About Bessie
by Nikki Grimes
Assigned across 1 curriculum list
Talkin' About Bessie by Nikki Grimes is assigned in US schools at grades k–3. 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 Talkin' About Bessie 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 K–3
- Pages
- 48
- Reading time
- about 55 minutes (est.)
- First published
- 2002
- Genre
- African American women air pilots
- ISBN-13
- 9781413106350
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More formats & details
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About this book
A biography of the woman who became the first licensed Afro-American pilot.
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Why widely assigned
This African American women air pilots title, typically at grades k–3. Written in the 2000s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.
Where this book is assigned
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award
- recommended·Kindergarten gradesource: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2003 winner
- recommended·1st gradesource: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2003 winner
- recommended·2nd gradesource: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2003 winner
- recommended·3rd gradesource: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2003 winner
- recommended·4th gradesource: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2003 Winner
- recommended·5th gradesource: Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2003 Winner
Common questions
- What grade level is Talkin' About Bessie?
- Talkin' About Bessie is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades K–3. 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 Talkin' About Bessie?
- It takes about 55 minutes to read Talkin' About Bessie (48 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 55 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- What curricula assign Talkin' About Bessie?
- Talkin' About Bessie appears on reading lists for Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Talkin' About Bessie banned in schools?
- Talkin' About Bessie 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 K–3 — 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: award-winner, read-aloud.