Cover of The Blossom and the Firefly

The Blossom and the Firefly

by Sherri L. Smith

Assigned across 1 curriculum list

On reading-award lists:Golden Kite Award

The Blossom and the Firefly by Sherri L. Smith 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 The Blossom and the Firefly 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 9–12
Pages
322
Reading time
about 5h 55m (est.)
First published
2020
Genre
Children's
ISBN-13
9781524737917

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

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About this book

From the award-winning author of Flygirl comes this powerful WWII romance between two Japanese teens caught in the cogs of an unwinnable war, perfect for fans of Salt to the Sea, Lovely War, and Code Name Verity. Japan 1945. Taro is a talented violinist and a kamikaze pilot in the days before his first and only mission. He believes he is ready to die for his country . . . until he meets Hana. Hana hasn't been the same since the day she was buried alive in a collapsed trench during a bomb raid. She wonders if it would have been better to have died that day . . . until she meets Taro. A song will bring them together. The war will tear them apart. Is it possible to live an entire lifetime in eight short days? Sherri L. Smith has been called "an author with astonishing range" and "a stellar st

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Why widely assigned

This Children's title, typically at grades 9–12. Written in the 2020s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is The Blossom and the Firefly?
The Blossom and the Firefly 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 The Blossom and the Firefly?
It takes about 5h 55m to read The Blossom and the Firefly (322 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 355 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Blossom and the Firefly?
The Blossom and the Firefly appears on reading lists for Golden Kite Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Blossom and the Firefly banned in schools?
The Blossom and the Firefly 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 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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