What grade level is The Pinballs?

The Pinballs is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–6. 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 Pinballs?

It takes about 2h 30m to read The Pinballs (137 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 150 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign The Pinballs?

The Pinballs appears on reading lists for Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is The Pinballs banned in schools?

The Pinballs 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 Pinballs explore?

Central themes in The Pinballs include foster home care, friendship, friendship in fiction, foster home care in fiction. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

The Pinballs

Name: The Pinballs
Availability: InStock
Author: Betsy Cromer Byars
ISBN: 9780062239440

by Betsy Cromer Byars

Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

On reading-award lists:Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award

The Pinballs by Betsy Cromer Byars is assigned in US schools at grades 4–6. 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 Pinballs is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

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Grade range: Grades 4–6
Age range: Ages 9–11
Pages: 137
Reading time: about 2h 30m (est.)
First published: 1977
Genre: Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13: 9780062239440

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About this book

Three lonely foster children learn to care about themselves and each other.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like The Pinballs→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Realistic Fiction title, typically at grades 4–6. Written in the 1970s; pairs with curriculum units on foster home care and friendship; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

foster home care · friendship · friendship in fiction · foster home care in fiction

Where this book is assigned

Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award

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Common questions

What grade level is The Pinballs?: The Pinballs is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–6. 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 Pinballs?: It takes about 2h 30m to read The Pinballs (137 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 150 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Pinballs?: The Pinballs appears on reading lists for Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Pinballs banned in schools?: The Pinballs 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 Pinballs explore?: Central themes in The Pinballs include foster home care, friendship, friendship in fiction, foster home care in fiction. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

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 4–6 — 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.