Cover of The Words We Keep

The Words We Keep

by Erin Stewart

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Assigned across 1 curriculum list

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:Schneider Family Book Award

The Words We Keep by Erin Stewart is assigned in US schools at grades 8–12. 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 Words We Keep is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Grade range
Grades 8–12
Pages
329
Reading time
about 6 hours (est.)
First published
2022
ISBN-13
9781471184529

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

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Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is The Words We Keep?
The Words We Keep is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 8–12. 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 Words We Keep?
It takes about 6 hours to read The Words We Keep (329 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 360 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Words We Keep?
The Words We Keep appears on reading lists for Schneider Family Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Words We Keep banned in schools?
The Words We Keep has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 1 state (TX) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.

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 8–12 — 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
Documented as challenged or removed in 1 state per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans — see the full banned & challenged books list.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-winner.

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