Comparison
New Kid vs Wonder
How New Kid by Jerry Craft and Wonder by R.J. Palacio compare on reading level, grade placement, curriculum overlap, and shared themes — derived from primary-source citations on each book’s ReadingList page.
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At a glance
- Grade-range overlap
- Grades 4–7
- Year-of-publication gap
- 7 years (2019 vs 2012)
- Page-count gap
- 64 pages (256 vs 320)
- Shared curricula
- 84 of 193
- Shared themes
- 1 of 11
- States banning both
- 1: FL
Curriculum overlap
Both books appear in 84 shared curriculum frameworks:
Themes
Shared
friendship
Only New Kid
race and identity · code-switching · middle school adjustment · graphic narrative · private vs public school
Only Wonder
facial difference · kindness · bullying · family · empathy
Banned-state overlap
Both books have documented removals or formal challenges in 1 shared state: Florida. Per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024; policies vary by district within each state.
Common questions
- Which is harder to read, New Kid or Wonder?
- Lexile data not available for one or both titles in this comparison. See each book's page (New Kid and Wonder) for grade-range + reading-level estimates from school assignments.
- What grade level is New Kid vs Wonder?
- New Kid: 4-8 grade range. Wonder: 3-7 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, New Kid or Wonder?
- Both New Kid and Wonder are in the top-10 most-cited books on ReadingList.school across US school assignments and curricula. Each book's individual page (New Kid, Wonder) lists every tracked assignment with source citation, so you can see which has broader curriculum reach in your specific region.
- Should I read New Kid or Wonder 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 (New Kid or the other) to build context, then move to the other. Both titles often appear together on AP / IB reading lists as paired study.
Get these books
New Kid
Jerry Craft
Where to find this book
Audible: many assigned titles are included with a membership, and listening starts right away, with no wait for delivery. Offers vary by account.
Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook
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Wonder
R.J. Palacio
Where to find this book
Audible: many assigned titles are included with a membership, and listening starts right away, with no wait for delivery. Offers vary by account.
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.