Cover of The Fire of Stars

The Fire of Stars

by Kirsten W. Larson

The Fire of Stars by Kirsten W. Larson is assigned in US schools at grades 4–8. 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 Fire of Stars 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 4–8
Age range
Ages 8–12
First published
2023
Genre
Nonfiction
ISBN-13
9781452173078
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About this book

A lyrical picture-book biography of astronomer Cecilia Payne — who discovered what stars are made of — told in parallel with the life cycle of a star itself. a 2026-2027 California Young Reader Medal (Picture Books for Older Readers) nominee.

Why widely assigned

This Nonfiction title, typically at grades 4–8. Written in the 2020s; pairs with curriculum units on science and perseverance; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

science · perseverance · history

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is The Fire of Stars?
The Fire of Stars is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–8. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
What curricula assign The Fire of Stars?
The Fire of Stars appears on reading lists for California Young Reader Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Fire of Stars banned in schools?
The Fire of Stars 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 Fire of Stars explore?
Central themes in The Fire of Stars include science, perseverance, history. 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 4–8 — 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.