Cover of The Boy Who Dared

The Boy Who Dared

by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Assigned across 2 curriculum lists · 1 state

On reading-award lists:William Allen White Children's Book AwardWilliam Allen White Children's Book Award

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti is assigned in US schools at grades 6–8. It appears across 2 curriculum references 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 Who Dared is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Audible trial: new members only. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Grade range
Grades 6–8
Pages
157
Reading time
about 2h 55m (est.)
First published
2017
ISBN-13
9781338214314

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you. Pricing, Prime, and trial terms shown on Amazon.

About this book

A Newbery Honor Book author has written a powerful and gripping novel about a youth in Nazi Germany who tells the truth about Hitler. Susan Campbell Bartoletti has taken one episode from her Newbery Honor Book, Hitler Youth, and fleshed it out into thought-provoking novel. When 16-year-old Helmut Hubner listens to the BBC news on an illegal short-wave radio, he quickly discovers Germany is lying to the people. But when he tries to expose the truth with leaflets, he's tried for treason. Sentenced to death and waiting in a jail cell, Helmut's story emerges in a series of flashbacks that show his growth from a naive child caught up in the patriotism of the times , to a sensitive and mature young man who thinks for himself.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like The Boy Who Dared→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Where this book is assigned

Was this page helpful?

Common questions

What grade level is The Boy Who Dared?
The Boy Who Dared is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 6–8. 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 The Boy Who Dared?
It takes about 2h 55m to read The Boy Who Dared (157 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 175 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Boy Who Dared?
The Boy Who Dared appears on reading lists for William Allen White Children's Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Boy Who Dared banned in schools?
The Boy Who Dared 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 6–8 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 2 curricula 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: award-winner, book-club.

Keep browsing