Cover of The Unwanteds

The Unwanteds

by Lisa McMann · Grades 4–6

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann is on US reading lists at grades 4–6. It appears on 3 lists: 3 book-award lists, across 3 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Grades 4–6 · 416 pages. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9781442407695). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Widely assigned — 4 curriculum lists · 3 states

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:Mark Twain Readers AwardCalifornia Young Reader MedalConnecticut Nutmeg Book AwardMark Twain Readers Award

This page shows where The Unwanteds 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 4–6
Pages
416
Reading time
about 7h 40m (est.)
First published
2012
ISBN-13
9781442407695

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-07-07; 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 (3)
Award won
  • Mark Twain Readers Award, 2014 (source: Wikipedia)
On award reading lists
Catalog record
First published 2012 · 416 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)

Similar grade-level books

See all books like The Unwanteds→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Where this book is recommended

The Unwanteds by the numbers: pages, reading time and where it is listed, on Book Statistics.

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Common questions

What grade level is The Unwanteds?
The Unwanteds is listed for grades 4–6. It appears on 4 state book-award lists across 3 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read The Unwanteds?
It takes about 7h 40m to read The Unwanteds (416 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 460 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Unwanteds?
The Unwanteds appears on reading lists for California Young Reader Medal, Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award, Mark Twain Readers Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Unwanteds banned in schools?
The Unwanteds 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 4–6 — drawn from the state book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 4 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
On state book-award lists in 3 states (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-winner, book-club.

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