The Slave Dancer

About this book

Newbery Medal Winner: A young Louisiana boy faces the horrors of slavery when he is kidnapped and forced to work on a slave ship in this iconic novel. Thirteen-year-old Jessie Bollier earns a few pennies playing his fife on the docks of New Orleans. One night, on his way home, a canvas is thrown over his head and he's knocked unconscious. When he wakes up, Jessie finds himself aboard a slave ship, bound for Africa. There, the Moonlight picks up ninety-eight black prisoners, and the men, women, and children, chained hand and foot, are methodically crammed into the ship's hold. Jessie's job is to provide music for the slaves to dance to on the ship's deck—not for amusement but for exercise, as a way to to keep their muscles strong and their bodies profitable. Over the course of the long voya

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Why widely assigned

This Young Adult Fiction title, typically at grades 3–7. Written in the 1970s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

• Newbery Medal

  • recommended·3rd gradesource: Newbery Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1974 Newbery Medal winner
  • recommended·4th gradesource: Newbery Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1974 Newbery Medal winner
  • recommended·5th gradesource: Newbery Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1974 Newbery Medal winner
  • recommended·6th gradesource: Newbery Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1974 Newbery Medal winner
  • recommended·7th gradesource: Newbery Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1974 Newbery Medal winner

Common questions

What grade level is The Slave Dancer?

The Slave Dancer is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–7. 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 Slave Dancer?

It takes about 1h 50m to read The Slave Dancer (101 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 110 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign The Slave Dancer?

The Slave Dancer appears on reading lists for Newbery Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is The Slave Dancer banned in schools?

The Slave Dancer 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.