What grade level is Akiak?

Akiak is listed for grades K–3. It appears on 2 state book-award lists across 2 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.

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 Virginia Readers' Choice, 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. See the banned books list by state.

What themes does Akiak explore?

Central themes in Akiak include iditarod (race), sled dog racing, sled dogs, dogs.

Akiak

Name: Akiak
Availability: InStock
Author: Robert J. Blake
ISBN: 9781417704927

by Robert J. Blake · Grades K–3 · Sports Fiction

Akiak by Robert J. Blake is on US reading lists at grades k–3. It appears on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists, across 2 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 5–8 · Grades K–3 · 36 pages. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9781417704927). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Assigned across 2 curriculum lists · 2 states

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:Virginia Readers' Choice Young Hoosier Book Award

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.

Reading level at a glance

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

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-09-24; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

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About this book

Book facts and sources (2)

On award reading lists: Virginia Readers' Choice (source: vslatoday.org)
Young Hoosier Book Award (source: cdn.ymaws.com)
Catalog record: First published 1997 · 36 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)

Similar grade-level books

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

Why it is assigned

This sports fiction title is typically read at grades k–3. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on iditarod (race) and sled dog racing; cited on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists.

Themes

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

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is Akiak?: Akiak is listed for grades K–3. It appears on 2 state book-award lists across 2 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.
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 Virginia Readers' Choice, 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. See the banned books list by state.
What themes does Akiak explore?: Central themes in Akiak include iditarod (race), sled dog racing, sled dogs, dogs.

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 the state book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment: Cited in 2 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence: On state book-award lists in 2 states (see citations above).
Removal / banning records: No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags: Tagged for: book-club.