What grade level is The Boy at the Back of the Class?

The Boy at the Back of the Class is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–6. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.

What curricula assign The Boy at the Back of the Class?

The Boy at the Back of the Class appears on reading lists for Battle of the Books (state reading programs). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is The Boy at the Back of the Class banned in schools?

The Boy at the Back of the Class 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 The Boy at the Back of the Class explore?

Central themes in The Boy at the Back of the Class include empathy, friendship, immigration, courage. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

The Boy at the Back of the Class

Name: The Boy at the Back of the Class
Availability: InStock
Author: Onjali Q. Raúf
ISBN: 9781984850782

by Onjali Q. Raúf

The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf is assigned in US schools at grades 3–6. 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 The Boy at the Back of the Class 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 3–6
Age range: Ages 8–11
First published: 2018
Genre: Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13: 9781984850782

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About this book

A new boy named Ahmet sits silently at the back of the class — a refugee separated from his family — so four classmates hatch a daring plan to help him. Onjali Q. Raúf's award-winning grades 3-6 novel tells a refugee story with humor and heart from a child's point of view.

Why widely assigned

This Realistic Fiction title, typically at grades 3–6. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on empathy and friendship; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

empathy · friendship · immigration · courage

Where this book is assigned

Battle of the Books (state reading programs)

Similar grade-level books

See all books like The Boy at the Back of the Class→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Common questions

What grade level is The Boy at the Back of the Class?: The Boy at the Back of the Class is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–6. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
What curricula assign The Boy at the Back of the Class?: The Boy at the Back of the Class appears on reading lists for Battle of the Books (state reading programs). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Boy at the Back of the Class banned in schools?: The Boy at the Back of the Class 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 The Boy at the Back of the Class explore?: Central themes in The Boy at the Back of the Class include empathy, friendship, immigration, courage. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

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 3–6 — 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.