What grade level is Dear Mrs. LaRue?

Dear Mrs. LaRue is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–5. 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 Dear Mrs. LaRue?

It takes about 35 minutes to read Dear Mrs. LaRue (32 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 35 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

Is Dear Mrs. LaRue banned in schools?

Dear Mrs. LaRue 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 Dear Mrs. LaRue explore?

Central themes in Dear Mrs. LaRue include training, humorous stories, letters, pets. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Dear Mrs. LaRue

Name: Dear Mrs. LaRue
Availability: InStock
Author: Mark Teague
ISBN: 9780439206631

by Mark Teague

Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

On reading-award lists:Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award (Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards), Grades 3-5 & Grades 6-8 divisions

Dear Mrs. LaRue by Mark Teague is assigned in US schools at grades 3–5. 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 Dear Mrs. LaRue is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Listen free on Audible30-day trial Buy on Amazon

Audible trial: new members only. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Grade range: Grades 3–5
Age range: Ages 8–10
Pages: 32
Reading time: about 35 minutes (est.)
First published: 2002
Genre: Humor
ISBN-13: 9780439206631

More formats & details

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you. Pricing, Prime, and trial terms shown on Amazon.

About this book

Gertrude LaRue receives typewritten and paw-written letters from her dog Ike, entreating her to let him leave the Igor Brotweiler Canine Academy and come back home.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Dear Mrs. LaRue→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Humor title, typically at grades 3–5. Written in the 2000s; pairs with curriculum units on training and humorous stories; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

training · humorous stories · letters · pets

Where this book is assigned

Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award (Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards), Grades 3-5 & Grades 6-8 divisions

Was this page helpful?

Common questions

What grade level is Dear Mrs. LaRue?: Dear Mrs. LaRue is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–5. 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 Dear Mrs. LaRue?: It takes about 35 minutes to read Dear Mrs. LaRue (32 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 35 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Dear Mrs. LaRue?: Dear Mrs. LaRue appears on reading lists for Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award (Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards), Grades 3-5 & Grades 6-8 divisions. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Dear Mrs. LaRue banned in schools?: Dear Mrs. LaRue 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 Dear Mrs. LaRue explore?: Central themes in Dear Mrs. LaRue include training, humorous stories, letters, pets. 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 3–5 — 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.