The Parker Inheritance
by Varian Johnson
The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson is assigned in US schools at grades 6–8, with a Lexile measure of 610L. 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 The Parker Inheritance is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Lexile
- 610L
- Grade range
- Grades 6–8
- Difficulty for grade
- Below the grade 6–8 band (925–1185L)
- Age range
- Ages 9–12
- Pages
- 352
- Reading time
- about 6h 25m (est.)
- First published
- 2018
- Genre
- Middle Grade Mystery
- ISBN-13
- 9781338277197
Reading difficulty: At 610L, The Parker Inheritance reads below the typical 925–1185L text-complexity range for 6th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge.
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About this book
Candice finds a letter in her late grandmother's attic that sets her and her neighbor Brandon on the trail of a decades-old puzzle and a buried injustice in their South Carolina town. Varian Johnson's mystery weaves a present-day treasure hunt with a story of racism and resilience across generations. A frequent grades 6-8 read.
Why widely assigned
This Middle Grade Mystery title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 6–8. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on race and friendship; cited across 1 curriculum framework.
Themes
race · friendship · history · justice
Content notes
racism
Where this book is assigned
Similar grade-level books
The Diary of a Young GirlAnne Frank · 1080L
The GiverLois Lowry · 760L
The OutsidersS.E. Hinton · 750L
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee · 870L
See all books like The Parker Inheritance→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is The Parker Inheritance?
- The Parker Inheritance is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 6–8, with a Lexile measure of 610L. 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 The Parker Inheritance?
- The Parker Inheritance has a Lexile measure of 610L 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 The Parker Inheritance?
- It takes about 6h 25m to read The Parker Inheritance (352 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 385 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is The Parker Inheritance hard to read for 6th grade?
- At 610L, The Parker Inheritance reads below the typical 925–1185L text-complexity range for 6th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.
- What curricula assign The Parker Inheritance?
- The Parker Inheritance appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). 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
- 610L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades 6–8 — 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: summer.