
Deep and Dark and Dangerous
Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn is assigned in US schools at grades 4–6. It appears across 4 curriculum references and 4 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
Where to find this book
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About this book
When thirteen-year-old Ali spends the summer with her aunt and cousin at the family's vacation home, she stumbles upon a secret that her mother and aunt have been hiding for over thirty years.
Where this book is assigned
Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award
- recommended·4th grade · Arizonasource: Arizona Library Association — Grand Canyon Reader Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Tween divisions; annual since 1977)
- recommended·5th grade · Arizonasource: Arizona Library Association — Grand Canyon Reader Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Tween divisions; annual since 1977)
- recommended·6th grade · Arizonasource: Arizona Library Association — Grand Canyon Reader Award (student-choice; Intermediate + Tween divisions; annual since 1977)
Mark Twain Readers Award
- recommended·4th grade · Missourisource: Mark Twain Readers Award winners (Missouri Association of School Librarians), via Wikipedia — 2010
- recommended·5th grade · Missourisource: Mark Twain Readers Award winners (Missouri Association of School Librarians), via Wikipedia — 2010
- recommended·6th grade · Missourisource: Mark Twain Readers Award winners (Missouri Association of School Librarians), via Wikipedia — 2010
Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award
- recommended·3rd grade · Minnesotasource: Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award winners (Minnesota Youth Reading Awards / MYRA), via Goodreads award record — 2011
- recommended·4th grade · Minnesotasource: Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award winners (Minnesota Youth Reading Awards / MYRA), via Goodreads award record — 2011
- recommended·5th grade · Minnesotasource: Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award winners (Minnesota Youth Reading Awards / MYRA), via Goodreads award record — 2011
- recommended·6th grade · Minnesotasource: Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award winners (Minnesota Youth Reading Awards / MYRA), via Goodreads award record — 2011
- recommended·7th grade · Minnesotasource: Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award winners (Minnesota Youth Reading Awards / MYRA), via Goodreads award record — 2011
- recommended·8th grade · Minnesotasource: Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award winners (Minnesota Youth Reading Awards / MYRA), via Goodreads award record — 2011
Nebraska Golden Sower Award
- recommended·4th grade · Nebraskasource: Nebraska Library Association — Golden Sower Award (student-choice; Honeybee grades 3-5 + Meadowlark grades 6-9; annual since 1981)
- recommended·5th grade · Nebraskasource: Nebraska Library Association — Golden Sower Award (student-choice; Honeybee grades 3-5 + Meadowlark grades 6-9; annual since 1981)
- recommended·6th grade · Nebraskasource: Nebraska Library Association — Golden Sower Award (student-choice; Honeybee grades 3-5 + Meadowlark grades 6-9; annual since 1981)
Similar grade-level books
The GiverLois Lowry · 760L
Charlotte's WebE.B. White · 680L
The Hunger GamesSuzanne Collins · 810L
MatildaRoald Dahl · 840L
See all books like Deep and Dark and Dangerous→ — matched on theme + reading level.
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, Mark Twain Readers Award, Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award, and 1 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
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 4 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- Cited in 4 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.