What grade level is Chains?

Chains is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 5–9, with a Lexile measure of 780L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.

What is the Lexile level of Chains?

Chains has a Lexile measure of 780L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.

How long does it take to read Chains?

It takes about 5h 50m to read Chains (316 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 350 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

Is Chains hard to read for 5th grade?

At 780L, Chains falls within the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 5th grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.

What curricula assign Chains?

Chains appears on reading lists for Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Chains

Name: Chains
Availability: InStock
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
ISBN: 9781416905868

by Laurie Halse Anderson

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson is assigned in US schools at grades 5–9, with a Lexile measure of 780L. 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 Chains is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Lexile: 780L
Grade range: Grades 5–9
Difficulty for grade: Within the grade 4–5 band (740–1010L)
Age range: Ages 10–14
Pages: 316
Reading time: about 5h 50m (est.)
First published: 2008
Genre: Historical Fiction (Middle Grade)
ISBN-13: 9781416905868

Reading difficulty: At 780L, Chains falls within the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 5th grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge.

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About this book

As the American Revolution begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel — enslaved and promised a freedom that never comes — is sold to a cruel Loyalist couple in New York City and drawn into spying for the Patriots. Laurie Halse Anderson's first Seeds of America novel weighs Isabel's hope for liberty against a revolution that excludes her. A Scott O'Dell Award winner and National Book Award finalist, it is a frequent grade 5-9 text for studying slavery and the founding era.

Why widely assigned

This Historical Fiction (Middle Grade) title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 5–9. Written in the 2000s; pairs with curriculum units on slavery and freedom; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

slavery · freedom · resilience · loyalty · revolution

Content notes

slavery · violence · period racism

Where this book is assigned

Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Chains→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Common questions

What grade level is Chains?: Chains is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 5–9, with a Lexile measure of 780L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
What is the Lexile level of Chains?: Chains has a Lexile measure of 780L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
How long does it take to read Chains?: It takes about 5h 50m to read Chains (316 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 350 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
Is Chains hard to read for 5th grade?: At 780L, Chains falls within the typical 740–1010L text-complexity range for 5th grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.
What curricula assign Chains?: Chains appears on reading lists for Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

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: 780L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
Grade band: Grades 5–9 — 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: award-winner.