Cover of A Deadly Game of Magic

A Deadly Game of Magic

by Joan Lowery Nixon

Audible trial: new members only. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).

On reading-award lists:Young Hoosier Book Award

A Deadly Game of Magic by Joan Lowery Nixon is assigned in US schools at grades 6–8. It appears across 1 curriculum reference and 1 state, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where A Deadly Game of Magic 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 6–8
Age range
Ages 11–13
Pages
158
Reading time
about 2h 55m (est.)
First published
1983
Genre
Fantasy
ISBN-13
9780152050306

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

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

Lisa and her three friends find themselves unwilling players in a cat-and-mouse game with a murderous magician whose identity and motivation baffle them.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like A Deadly Game of Magic→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Fantasy title, typically at grades 6–8. Written in the 1980s; pairs with curriculum units on mystery and detective stories and magic tricks; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

mystery and detective stories · magic tricks · murder · magic, fiction

Where this book is assigned

Was this page helpful?

Common questions

What grade level is A Deadly Game of Magic?
A Deadly Game of Magic is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 6–8. 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 A Deadly Game of Magic?
It takes about 2h 55m to read A Deadly Game of Magic (158 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 175 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign A Deadly Game of Magic?
A Deadly Game of Magic appears on reading lists for Young Hoosier Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is A Deadly Game of Magic banned in schools?
A Deadly Game of Magic 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 A Deadly Game of Magic explore?
Central themes in A Deadly Game of Magic include mystery and detective stories, magic tricks, murder, magic, fiction. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Why this book is on this list

How we classify

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 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
Cited in 1 state ELA framework 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.

Keep browsing