Cover of The First State of Being

The First State of Being

by Erin Entrada Kelly · Grades 6–8 · Middle Grade Fiction

The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly is on US reading lists at grades 6–8. It appears on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists, across 1 state. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 11–14 · Grades 6–8 · 263 pages. The button opens the hardcover edition (ISBN 9780063337312). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Assigned across 2 curriculum lists · 1 state

Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).

On reading-award lists:Newbery MedalSunshine State Young Readers Award

This page shows where The First State of Being is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Reading level at a glance

Grade range
Grades 6–8
Age range
Ages 11–14
Pages
263
Reading time
about 4h 50m (est.)
First published
2024
Genre
Middle Grade Fiction
ISBN-13
9780063337312

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-06-20; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

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New to these terms? Reading levels by grade · What is the Newbery Medal?

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About this book

Book facts and sources (2)
Award won
On award reading lists
Catalog record
First published 2024 · 263 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)

Similar grade-level books

See all books like The First State of Being→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why it is assigned

This middle grade fiction title is typically read at grades 6–8. Written in the 2020s; pairs with curriculum units on friendship and identity; cited on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists.

Themes

friendship · identity · courage

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is The First State of Being?
The First State of Being is listed for grades 6–8. It appears on 2 book-award lists across 1 state, from grade 3 to grade 8. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read The First State of Being?
It takes about 4h 50m to read The First State of Being (263 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 290 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The First State of Being?
The First State of Being appears on reading lists for Newbery Medal, Sunshine State Young Readers Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The First State of Being banned in schools?
The First State of Being 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 First State of Being explore?
Central themes in The First State of Being include friendship, identity, courage.

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 the book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 2 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
On state book-award lists in 1 state (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-winner, book-club.

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