Cover of Toning the Sweep

Toning the Sweep

by Angela Johnson · Grades 4–8 · Young Adult Fiction

Toning the Sweep by Angela Johnson is on US reading lists at grades 4–8. It appears on 1 list: the Coretta Scott King Author Award. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Grades 4–8 · 116 pages. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9781338325775). 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:Coretta Scott King Author Award

This page shows where Toning the Sweep 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 4–8
Pages
116
Reading time
about 2h 10m (est.)
First published
1993
Genre
Young Adult Fiction
ISBN-13
9781338325775

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.

Good fit for grade 4?

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New to these terms? Reading levels by grade · What is the Coretta Scott King Award?

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See all books like Toning the Sweep→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why it is assigned

This young adult fiction title is typically read at grades 4–8. Written in the 1990s; cited on the Coretta Scott King Author Award.

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is Toning the Sweep?
Toning the Sweep is listed for grades 4–8. It appears on 1 book-award list. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read Toning the Sweep?
It takes about 2h 10m to read Toning the Sweep (116 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 130 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Toning the Sweep?
Toning the Sweep appears on reading lists for Coretta Scott King Author Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Toning the Sweep banned in schools?
Toning the Sweep 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 4–8 — 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
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-winner.

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