Cover of The Schwa was Here

The Schwa was Here

by Neal Shusterman · Grades 4–9 · Children's

The Schwa was Here by Neal Shusterman is on US reading lists at grades 4–9. 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: Grades 4–9 · 242 pages. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9781101660522). 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:California Young Reader MedalBoston Globe–Horn Book Award

This page shows where The Schwa was Here 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 4–9
Pages
242
Reading time
about 4h 25m (est.)
First published
2004
Genre
Children's
ISBN-13
9781101660522

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-09-24; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

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About this book

Book facts and sources (2)
On award reading lists
Catalog record
First published 2004 · 242 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)

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Why it is assigned

This children's title is typically read at grades 4–9. Written in the 2000s; cited on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists.

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is The Schwa was Here?
The Schwa was Here is listed for grades 4–9. It appears on 2 book-award lists across 1 state, from grade 3 to grade 9. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read The Schwa was Here?
It takes about 4h 25m to read The Schwa was Here (242 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 265 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Schwa was Here?
The Schwa was Here appears on reading lists for Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, California Young Reader Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Schwa was Here banned in schools?
The Schwa was Here 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

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 4–9 — 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: book-club, read-aloud.

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