Cover of Underground

Underground

by Shane W. Evans

Assigned across 1 curriculum list

Underground by Shane W. Evans is assigned in US schools at grades k–5. 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 Underground 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 K–5
Pages
36
Reading time
about 40 minutes (est.)
First published
2011
Genre
Picture Book
ISBN-13
9781466814394
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About this book

One of School Library Journal's Best Nonfiction Books of 2011 A few well chosen words and spellbinding images pack an emotion wallop not soon forgotten in this picture book for young readers about the Underground Railroad. A family silently crawls along the ground. They run barefoot through unlit woods, sleep beneath bushes, take shelter in a kind stranger's home. Where are they heading? They are heading for Freedom by way of the Underground Railroad.

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Why widely assigned

This Picture Book title, typically at grades k–5. Written in the 2010s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

Common questions

What grade level is Underground?
Underground is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades K–5. 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 Underground?
It takes about 40 minutes to read Underground (36 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 40 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Underground?
Underground appears on reading lists for Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Underground banned in schools?
Underground 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 K–5 — 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: read-aloud.
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