Cover of Trouble Don't Last

Trouble Don't Last

by Shelley Pearsall

Trouble Don't Last by Shelley Pearsall is assigned in US schools at grades 5–8. 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 Trouble Don't Last 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 5–8
Pages
256
Reading time
about 4h 40m (est.)
First published
2008
ISBN-13
9780307548306
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About this book

Eleven-year-old Samuel was born as Master Hackler’s slave, and working the Kentucky farm is the only life he’s ever known—until one dark night in 1859, that is. With no warning, cranky old Harrison, a fellow slave, pulls Samuel from his bed and, together, they run. The journey north seems much more frightening than Master Hackler ever was, and Samuel’s not sure what freedom means aside from running, hiding, and starving. But as they move from one refuge to the next on the Underground Railroad, Samuel uncovers the secret of his own past—and future. And old Harrison begins to see past a whole lifetime of hurt to the promise of a new life—and a poignant reunion— in Canada. In a heartbreaking and hopeful first novel, Shelley Pearsall tells a suspenseful, emotionally charged story of freedom an

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is Trouble Don't Last?
Trouble Don't Last is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 5–8. 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 Trouble Don't Last?
It takes about 4h 40m to read Trouble Don't Last (256 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 280 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Trouble Don't Last?
Trouble Don't Last appears on reading lists for Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Trouble Don't Last banned in schools?
Trouble Don't Last 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

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 5–8 — 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
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-winner.