The Trouble with Heroes
by Kate Messner
Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state
The Trouble with Heroes by Kate Messner is assigned in US schools at grades 6–8. 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 Trouble with Heroes 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 6–8
- Pages
- 377
- Reading time
- about 6h 55m (est.)
- Genre
- Juvenile Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9781547616404
More formats & details
Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook
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About this book
New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Kate Messner has crafted a deeply moving novel-in-verse about a boy, a dog, and the healing power of nature.
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Why widely assigned
This Juvenile Fiction title, typically at grades 6–8. Published in the canon; cited across 1 curriculum framework.
Where this book is assigned
Great Lakes Great Books Award
- recommended·6th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award 2026-27 nominee (official GLGBA nominee press release + nominees list, announced March 7, 2026 at the MRA Annual Conference; Michigan students vote through January 9, 2027) — 6-8 division
- recommended·7th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award 2026-27 nominee (official GLGBA nominee press release + nominees list, announced March 7, 2026 at the MRA Annual Conference; Michigan students vote through January 9, 2027) — 6-8 division
- recommended·8th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award 2026-27 nominee (official GLGBA nominee press release + nominees list, announced March 7, 2026 at the MRA Annual Conference; Michigan students vote through January 9, 2027) — 6-8 division
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Common questions
- What grade level is The Trouble with Heroes?
- The Trouble with Heroes is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 6–8. 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 Trouble with Heroes?
- It takes about 6h 55m to read The Trouble with Heroes (377 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 415 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- What curricula assign The Trouble with Heroes?
- The Trouble with Heroes appears on reading lists for Great Lakes Great Books Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is The Trouble with Heroes banned in schools?
- The Trouble with Heroes 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 classifyHide
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 6–8 — 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.