What grade level is When We Were Birds?

When We Were Birds is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–10. It appears on 1 school reading list. Exact placement varies by school and district.

How long does it take to read When We Were Birds?

It takes about 4h 20m to read When We Were Birds (236 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 260 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign When We Were Birds?

When We Were Birds appears on reading lists for Cambridge IGCSE English Literature (0475). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is When We Were Birds banned in schools?

When We Were Birds 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. See the banned books list by state.

When We Were Birds

Name: When We Were Birds
Availability: InStock
Author: Ayanna Lloyd Banwo
ISBN: 9780593313619

by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo · Grades 9–10 · Realistic Fiction

When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo is assigned in US schools at grades 9–10. It appears on 1 list: the Cambridge IGCSE English Literature (0475). Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 14–15 · Grades 9–10 · 236 pages. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9780593313619). 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).

This page shows where When We Were Birds 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 9–10
Age range: Ages 14–15
Pages: 236
Reading time: about 4h 20m (est.)
First published: 2022
Genre: Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13: 9780593313619

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-09-24; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

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Why it is assigned

This realistic fiction title is typically read at grades 9–10. Written in the 2020s; cited on the Cambridge IGCSE English Literature (0475).

Where this book is assigned

Cambridge IGCSE English Literature (0475)
- required·9th grade source: Prescribed set text for Cambridge IGCSE Literature in English (0475), Paper 1 Section B (Prose), for examination in 2028. Transcribed from the official Cambridge International syllabus (743282-2028-2030-syllabus.pdf).
- required·10th grade source: Prescribed set text for Cambridge IGCSE Literature in English (0475), Paper 1 Section B (Prose), for examination in 2028. Transcribed from the official Cambridge International syllabus (743282-2028-2030-syllabus.pdf).

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Common questions

What grade level is When We Were Birds?: When We Were Birds is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–10. It appears on 1 school reading list. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read When We Were Birds?: It takes about 4h 20m to read When We Were Birds (236 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 260 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign When We Were Birds?: When We Were Birds appears on reading lists for Cambridge IGCSE English Literature (0475). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is When We Were Birds banned in schools?: When We Were Birds 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. See the banned books list by state.

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 9–10 — drawn from the curriculum sources cited on this page.
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: Paper 1 Section B (Prose).