Cover of Deep and Dark and Dangerous

Deep and Dark and Dangerous

by Mary Downing Hahn

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Among the most widely assigned — 7 curriculum lists · 6 states

#65 most-assigned book in America — on school reading lists in 6 states (2026-07-13 study of 13,258 assignments).

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:Maud Hart Lovelace Book AwardMark Twain Readers AwardWyoming Indian Paintbrush Book AwardLand of Enchantment Book Award+3 more

Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn is assigned in US schools at grades 4–6. It appears across 7 curriculum references and 6 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Deep and Dark and Dangerous 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
First published
2008
ISBN-13
9780547076454

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Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is Deep and Dark and Dangerous?
Deep and Dark and Dangerous 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.
What curricula assign Deep and Dark and Dangerous?
Deep and Dark and Dangerous appears on reading lists for Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award, Land of Enchantment Book Award, Mark Twain Readers Award, and 3 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Deep and Dark and Dangerous banned in schools?
Deep and Dark and Dangerous 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 7 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 6 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-winner, book-club.

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