What grade level is Dead Man in Indian Creek?

Dead Man in Indian Creek 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 Dead Man in Indian Creek?

It takes about 2h 30m to read Dead Man in Indian Creek (137 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 150 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Dead Man in Indian Creek?

Dead Man in Indian Creek appears on reading lists for Young Hoosier Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Dead Man in Indian Creek banned in schools?

Dead Man in Indian Creek 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 Dead Man in Indian Creek explore?

Central themes in Dead Man in Indian Creek include mystery and detective stories, detective and mystery stories. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Dead Man in Indian Creek

Name: Dead Man in Indian Creek
Availability: InStock
Author: Mary Downing Hahn
ISBN: 9780395523971

by Mary Downing Hahn

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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

Dead Man in Indian Creek by Mary Downing Hahn 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 Dead Man in Indian Creek 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: 137
Reading time: about 2h 30m (est.)
First published: 1990
Genre: Mystery
ISBN-13: 9780395523971

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

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About this book

While camping near Indian Creek, Matt and his best friend, Parker, get up early to see if they can spot a blue heron. Instead, they find the body of a dead man floating in the clear water. At the same time, they notice someone standing on a nearby bridge. He quickly walks away, but not before Parker recognizes him as George Evans, owner of a local antique shop. Does Evans have a connection with the dead man? Parker is certain that he does, mainly because Evans is dating Parker's mother, and Parker dislikes the man intensely.

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See all books like Dead Man in Indian Creek→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Mystery title, typically at grades 4–6. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on mystery and detective stories and detective and mystery stories; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

mystery and detective stories · detective and mystery stories

Where this book is assigned

Young Hoosier Book Award

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Common questions

What grade level is Dead Man in Indian Creek?: Dead Man in Indian Creek 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 Dead Man in Indian Creek?: It takes about 2h 30m to read Dead Man in Indian Creek (137 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 150 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Dead Man in Indian Creek?: Dead Man in Indian Creek appears on reading lists for Young Hoosier Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Dead Man in Indian Creek banned in schools?: Dead Man in Indian Creek 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 Dead Man in Indian Creek explore?: Central themes in Dead Man in Indian Creek include mystery and detective stories, detective and mystery stories. 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 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.