Cover of The Whipping Boy

The Whipping Boy

by Sid Fleischman · Grades 3–7 · Middle Grade Fiction

The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman is on US reading lists at grades 3–7. It appears on 4 lists: 4 book-award lists, across 3 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 8–12 · Grades 3–7 · 96 pages. The button opens the hardcover edition (ISBN 9781439547618). 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:Newbery MedalHawai'i Nēnē AwardCharlie May Simon Children's Book AwardWisconsin Golden Archer Award

This page shows where The Whipping Boy 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 3–7
Age range
Ages 8–12
Pages
96
Reading time
about 1h 45m (est.)
First published
1986
Genre
Middle Grade Fiction
ISBN-13
9781439547618

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-06-20; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

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

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About this book

Book facts and sources (4)
Award won
On award reading lists
Catalog record
First published 1986 · 96 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)

Similar grade-level books

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

Why widely assigned

This middle grade fiction title is typically read at grades 3–7. Written in the 1980s; pairs with curriculum units on friendship and adventure; cited on 4 lists: 4 book-award lists.

Themes

friendship · adventure · courage

Where this book is recommended

The Whipping Boy 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 Whipping Boy?
The Whipping Boy is listed for grades 3–7. It appears on 4 book-award lists across 3 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read The Whipping Boy?
It takes about 1h 45m to read The Whipping Boy (96 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 105 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Whipping Boy?
The Whipping Boy appears on reading lists for Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award, Hawai'i Nēnē Award, Newbery Medal, and 1 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Whipping Boy banned in schools?
The Whipping Boy 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.
What themes does The Whipping Boy explore?
Central themes in The Whipping Boy include friendship, adventure, courage.

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 the 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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