Cover of The Running Dream

The Running Dream

by Wendelin Van Draanen

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen is assigned in US schools at grades 7–12. 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 Running Dream 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 7–12
Pages
354
Reading time
about 6h 30m (est.)
First published
2011
ISBN-13
9780375896798
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About this book

The acclaimed author of Flipped delivers a powerful and healing story that’s perfect for anyone who’s ever thought that something was impossible. Readers will revel in the story of a girl who puts herself back together—and learns to dream bigger than ever before—after she’s told she’ll never run again. Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She's not comforted by the news that she'll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run? As she struggles to cope with crutches and a first cyborg-like prosthetic, Jessica feels oddly both in the spotlight and invisible. People who don't know what to say, act like she's not there. Which she could handle better if she weren't now keenly aware that she'd done the same thi

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is The Running Dream?
The Running Dream is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 7–12. 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 Running Dream?
It takes about 6h 30m to read The Running Dream (354 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 390 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Running Dream?
The Running Dream appears on reading lists for Schneider Family Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Running Dream banned in schools?
The Running Dream 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 7–12 — 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: award-winner.