Cover of Akiak

Akiak

by Robert J. Blake

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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

Akiak by Robert J. Blake is assigned in US schools at grades k–3. 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 Akiak 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 K–3
Age range
Ages 5–8
Pages
36
Reading time
about 40 minutes (est.)
First published
1997
Genre
Sports Fiction
ISBN-13
9781417704927

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

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About this book

It is Iditarod day. Fifty-six dog teams will race through 1,151 miles of rugged Alaskan terrain from Anchorage to Nome. Akiak knows these miles well. As lead dog, she has raced the incredible trail before, but never won. She is ten years old: if she is going to win, it must be now. When snow hurts her paw on the fourth day out, Mick, her musher, must leave her behind and continue the race without her. The rules say once a dog is dropped from the race, it may not rejoin the team. But Akiak doesn't know about rules. She is a lead dog, and her place is with the team.

Similar grade-level books

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

Why widely assigned

This Sports Fiction title, typically at grades k–3. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on iditarod (race) and sled dog racing; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

iditarod (race) · sled dog racing · sled dogs · dogs

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is Akiak?
Akiak is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades K–3. 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 Akiak?
It takes about 40 minutes to read Akiak (36 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 40 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Akiak?
Akiak appears on reading lists for Young Hoosier Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Akiak banned in schools?
Akiak 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 Akiak explore?
Central themes in Akiak include iditarod (race), sled dog racing, sled dogs, dogs. 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 K–3 — 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.

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