Dairy Queen

About this book

*When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said.* Harsh words indeed, from Brian Nelson of all people. But, D. J. can’t help admitting, maybe he’s right. Stuff like why her best friend, Amber, isn’t so friendly anymore. Or why her little brother, Curtis, never opens his mouth. Why her mom has two jobs and a big secret. Why her college-football-star brothers won’t even call home. Why her dad would go ballistic if she tried out for the high school football team herself. And why Brian is so, so out of her league. Welcome to the summer that fifteen-year-old D. J.

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

Why widely assigned

This Realistic Fiction title, typically at grades 9–12. Written in the 2000s; pairs with curriculum units on football and farm life; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

• Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania)

  • recommended·9th grade · Pennsylvaniasource: Mountain Laurel Book Award / Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award — PSLA past winners list, 2007-2008 winner (YA)
  • recommended·10th grade · Pennsylvaniasource: Mountain Laurel Book Award / Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award — PSLA past winners list, 2007-2008 winner (YA)
  • recommended·11th grade · Pennsylvaniasource: Mountain Laurel Book Award / Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award — PSLA past winners list, 2007-2008 winner (YA)
  • recommended·12th grade · Pennsylvaniasource: Mountain Laurel Book Award / Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award — PSLA past winners list, 2007-2008 winner (YA)

Common questions

What grade level is Dairy Queen?

Dairy Queen is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–12. 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 Dairy Queen?

It takes about 5h 5m to read Dairy Queen (275 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 305 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Dairy Queen?

Dairy Queen appears on reading lists for Mountain Laurel Book Award (Pennsylvania). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Dairy Queen banned in schools?

Dairy Queen 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 Dairy Queen explore?

Central themes in Dairy Queen include football, farm life, football stories, football, fiction. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.