What grade level is Mid-Air?

Mid-Air is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 5–8. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.

How long does it take to read Mid-Air?

It takes about 5h 50m to read Mid-Air (320 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.

What curricula assign Mid-Air?

Mid-Air appears on reading lists for Maine Student Book Award, Sunshine State Young Readers Award, Volunteer State Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Mid-Air banned in schools?

Mid-Air 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.

What themes does Mid-Air explore?

Central themes in Mid-Air include grief, friendship, growing up. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Mid-Air

Name: Mid-Air
Availability: InStock
Author: Alicia D. Williams
ISBN: 9781481465830

by Alicia D. Williams

Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams is assigned in US schools at grades 5–8. It appears across 3 curriculum references and 3 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Mid-Air is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Grade range: Grades 5–8
Age range: Ages 10–13
Pages: 320
Reading time: about 5h 50m (est.)
First published: 2024
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
ISBN-13: 9781481465830

Buy on Amazon Listen free on Audible

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.

About this book

After his best friend dies, Isaiah is left grieving and adrift, chasing the thrill of parkour while he figures out how to grow up and let go. Alicia D. Williams's novel-in-verse is a tender story about loss, friendship, and Black boyhood. Nominated for the 2025-2026 Maine Student Book Award (grades 4-8), the statewide reading list Maine students read from and vote on.

Why widely assigned

This Middle Grade Fiction title, typically at grades 5–8. Written in the 2020s; pairs with curriculum units on grief and friendship; cited across 3 curriculum frameworks.

Themes

grief · friendship · growing up

Content notes

death of friend

Where this book is assigned

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Mid-Air→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Common questions

What grade level is Mid-Air?: Mid-Air is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 5–8. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
How long does it take to read Mid-Air?: It takes about 5h 50m to read Mid-Air (320 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.
What curricula assign Mid-Air?: Mid-Air appears on reading lists for Maine Student Book Award, Sunshine State Young Readers Award, Volunteer State Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Mid-Air banned in schools?: Mid-Air 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.
What themes does Mid-Air explore?: Central themes in Mid-Air include grief, friendship, growing up. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

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: Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band: Grades 5–8 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment: Cited in 3 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence: Cited in 3 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (see citations above).
Removal / banning records: No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags: Tagged for: book-club.