Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library vs New Kid — which is harder to read?

Lexile data not available for one or both titles in this comparison. See each book's page (/book/escape-from-mr-lemoncellos-library and /book/new-kid) for grade-range + reading-level estimates from school assignments.

What grade level is Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library vs New Kid?

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library: 4-6 grade range. New Kid: 4-8 grade range. Both assigned within the 3-5 band. Specific district and curriculum vary; see each book's page for the full assignment history.

Which is more commonly taught, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library or New Kid?

Both Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library and New Kid are in the top-10 most-cited books on ReadingList.school across US school assignments and curricula. Each book's individual page (/book/escape-from-mr-lemoncellos-library, /book/new-kid) lists every tracked assignment with source citation, so you can see which has broader curriculum reach in your specific region.

Should I read Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library or New Kid first?

If they're in the same school year, follow the syllabus order (usually chronological by publication or grouped by theme). If reading independently: start with the shorter or lower-Lexile title to build context, then move to the other. Both titles often appear together on AP / IB reading lists as paired study.

Comparison

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library vs New Kid

How Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein and New Kid by Jerry Craftcompare on reading level, grade placement, curriculum overlap, and shared themes — derived from primary-source citations on each book’s ReadingList page.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Chris Grabenstein

Grades: 4–6
Published: 2013
Pages: 338

New Kid

Jerry Craft

Grades: 4–8
Published: 2019
Pages: 256
Genre: Middle Grade Graphic Novel

At a glance

Grade-range overlap: Grades 4–6
Year-of-publication gap: 6 years (2013 vs 2019)
Page-count gap: 82 pages (338 vs 256)
Shared curricula: 30 of 93
Shared themes: 0 of 6

Curriculum overlap

Both books appear in 30 shared curriculum frameworks:

Themes

Only New Kid

race and identity · code-switching · middle school adjustment · graphic narrative · private vs public school · friendship

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Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

Chris Grabenstein

Where to find this book

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Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

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New Kid

Jerry Craft

Where to find this book

Buy on AmazonPrime · 1-click Listen free on Audible30-day trial

Audible: new members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership.

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you. Pricing, Prime, and trial terms shown on Amazon.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

New Kid

At a glance

Curriculum overlap

Themes

Only New Kid

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Where to find this book

Where to find this book

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