Cover of The Middle Passage

The Middle Passage

by Tom Feelings

The Middle Passage by Tom Feelings is assigned in US schools at grades k–5. 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 Middle Passage 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 K–5
Pages
88
Reading time
about 1h 35m (est.)
First published
1995
Genre
Picture Book
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About this book

A powerful visual record & concise narrative of the slave trade that describes life in Africa & horrifying details of slave ships. Bowker Authored Title code. This is an important book about the slave trade. Sixty-four narrative paintings chronicle the journey of a slave ship & a historical introduction traces four centuries of slave trade. Map of the slave routes.

Why widely assigned

This Picture Book title, typically at grades k–5. Written in the 1990s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is The Middle Passage?
The Middle Passage is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades K–5. 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 Middle Passage?
It takes about 1h 35m to read The Middle Passage (88 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 95 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Middle Passage?
The Middle Passage appears on reading lists for Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Middle Passage banned in schools?
The Middle Passage 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

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 K–5 — 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.