
When You Trap a Tiger
by Tae Keller · Grades 4–7
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller is on US reading lists at grades 4–7. It appears on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists, across 1 state. Every citation below links to the primary source.
Before you buy: Grades 4–7. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9781524715731). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.
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Assigned across 2 curriculum lists · 1 state
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 You Trap a Tiger 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 4–7
- First published
- 2020
- ISBN-13
- 9781524715731
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 3?
If you have read it with a child or a class in this grade, tell other parents and teachers. One tap, no account.
New to these terms? Reading levels by grade · What is the Newbery Medal?
More formats & details
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About this book
Book facts and sources (2)
- Award won
- Newbery Medal, 2021 (source: Wikipedia)
- On award reading lists
- Garden State Children's Book Award (source: njla.org)
- Catalog record
- First published 2020 (source: how we source book data)
Similar grade-level books
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee · 870L
The GiverLois Lowry · 760L
The OutsidersS.E. Hinton · 750L
The Diary of a Young GirlAnne Frank · 1080L
See all books like When You Trap a Tiger→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Where this book is recommended
Garden State Children's Book Award
- recommended·4th grade · New Jerseysource: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)
- recommended·5th grade · New Jerseysource: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)
- recommended·6th grade · New Jerseysource: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)
- recommended·7th grade · New Jerseysource: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)
Newbery Medal
- recommended·3rd gradesource: Newbery Medal (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2021 Newbery Medal winner
- recommended·4th gradesource: Newbery Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2021 Newbery Medal
- recommended·5th gradesource: Newbery Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2021 Newbery Medal
- recommended·6th gradesource: Newbery Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2021 Newbery Medal
- recommended·7th gradesource: Newbery Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2021 Newbery Medal
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Common questions
- What grade level is When You Trap a Tiger?
- When You Trap a Tiger is listed for grades 4–7. It appears on 2 book-award lists across 1 state, from grade 3 to grade 7. Exact placement varies by school and district.
- What curricula assign When You Trap a Tiger?
- When You Trap a Tiger appears on reading lists for Garden State Children's Book Award, Newbery Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is When You Trap a Tiger banned in schools?
- When You Trap a Tiger has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 3 states (FL, IA, KY) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.
Why this book is on this list
How we classifyHide
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 4–7 — drawn from the book-award lists citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 2 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- On state book-award lists in 1 state (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- Documented as challenged or removed in 3 states per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans — see the full banned & challenged books list.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: award-winner, book-club.