Cover of Cliff-Hanger

Cliff-Hanger

by Alane Ferguson

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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

Cliff-Hanger by Alane Ferguson is assigned in US schools at grades 4–6. 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 Cliff-Hanger 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 4–6
Age range
Ages 9–11
Pages
142
Reading time
about 2h 35m (est.)
First published
2011
Genre
Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13
9780792276548

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

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About this book

When a cougar attacks a hiker in Mesa Verde National Park, the Landons have another mystery on their hands. Jack and Ashley are used to visiting parks with their wildlife veterinarian mother and photographer father, but this time their hands are full with a foster child called Lucky Deal. As Lucky and Jack become friends, Ashley becomes suspicious: What did Lucky take from the burn site? Who did she call in the night? In a midnight showdown at Spruce Tree House, Jack realizes there's more to fear than a killer cat.

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Why widely assigned

This Realistic Fiction title, typically at grades 4–6. Written in the 2010s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is Cliff-Hanger?
Cliff-Hanger is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–6. 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 Cliff-Hanger?
It takes about 2h 35m to read Cliff-Hanger (142 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 155 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Cliff-Hanger?
Cliff-Hanger appears on reading lists for Young Hoosier Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Cliff-Hanger banned in schools?
Cliff-Hanger 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

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 4–6 — 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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