Cover of The Words We Keep

The Words We Keep

by Erin Stewart · Grades 8–12

The Words We Keep by Erin Stewart is on US reading lists at grades 8–12. It appears on 1 list: the Schneider Family Book Award. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Grades 8–12 · 329 pages. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9781471184529). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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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

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.

Reading level at a glance

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

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-06-10; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

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Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is The Words We Keep?
The Words We Keep is listed for grades 8–12. It appears on 1 book-award list. Exact placement varies by school and district.
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 the book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where recommended” 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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