Cover of The Twenty-One Balloons

The Twenty-One Balloons

by William Pene du Bois

Assigned across 1 curriculum list

On reading-award lists:Newbery Medal

The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois is assigned in US schools at grades 3–7. 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 Twenty-One Balloons 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 3–7
Pages
194
Reading time
about 3h 35m (est.)
First published
1947
Genre
Juvenile Fiction
ISBN-13
9781101007068

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade · What is the Newbery Medal?

More formats & details

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About this book

A Newbery Medal Winner Professor William Waterman Sherman intends to fly across the Pacific Ocean. But through a twist of fate, he lands on Krakatoa, and discovers a world of unimaginable wealth, eccentric inhabitants, and incredible balloon inventions.Winner of the 1948 Newbery Medal, this classic fantasy-adventure is now available in a handsome new edition. "William Pene du Bois combines his rich imagination, scientific tastes, and brilliant artistry to tell astory that has no age limit."—The Horn Book

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Why widely assigned

This Juvenile Fiction title, typically at grades 3–7. Written in the 1940s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is The Twenty-One Balloons?
The Twenty-One Balloons 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 Twenty-One Balloons?
It takes about 3h 35m to read The Twenty-One Balloons (194 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 215 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Twenty-One Balloons?
The Twenty-One Balloons appears on reading lists for Newbery Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Twenty-One Balloons banned in schools?
The Twenty-One Balloons 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 3–7 — 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.

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