What grade level is Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed?

Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 5–12. 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 Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed?

It takes about 5h 20m to read Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed (289 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 320 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed?

Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed appears on reading lists for Andre Norton Award for Middle Grade & Young Adult Fiction. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed banned in schools?

Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed 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.

Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed

Name: Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed
Availability: InStock
Author: José Pablo Iriarte
ISBN: 9780593703731

by José Pablo Iriarte

Assigned across 1 curriculum list

Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed by José Pablo Iriarte is assigned in US schools at grades 5–12. 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 Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed 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 5–12
Pages: 289
Reading time: about 5h 20m (est.)
First published: 2025
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
ISBN-13: 9780593703731

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About this book

Benny Ramírez can see dead people . . . Well, one dead person, anyway. A hilarious and heartwarming story about a boy who can suddenly see the ghost of his famous musician grandfather! After moving cross-country into his late grandfather’s Miami mansion, Benny discovers that the ghost of his famous trumpet-playing abuelo, the great Ignacio Ramírez, is still there . . . and isn’t too thrilled about it. He’s been barred from the afterlife, and no one can see him except his grandson. But Benny’s got problems of his own. He’s enrolled in a performing arts school with his siblings, despite having no obvious talent. Luckily, Abuelo believes they can help each other. Abuelo has until New Year’s Eve to do some good in the world and thinks that teaching Benny how to play the trumpet and become a sc

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Why widely assigned

This Science Fiction & Fantasy title, typically at grades 5–12. Written in the 2020s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

Andre Norton Award for Middle Grade & Young Adult Fiction

Common questions

What grade level is Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed?: Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 5–12. 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 Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed?: It takes about 5h 20m to read Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed (289 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 320 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed?: Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed appears on reading lists for Andre Norton Award for Middle Grade & Young Adult Fiction. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed banned in schools?: Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed 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.

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 5–12 — 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: read-aloud.