What grade level is Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey?

Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey is listed for grades 6–9. It appears on 2 state book-award lists across 2 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.

How long does it take to read Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey?

It takes about 2h 20m to read Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey (125 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 140 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

Is Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey banned in schools?

Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey 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. See the banned books list by state.

What themes does Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey explore?

Central themes in Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey include child abuse, diaries, fathers and daughters, father-daughter relationship.

Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey

Name: Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey
Availability: InStock
Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix
ISBN: 9780689800979

by Margaret Peterson Haddix · Grades 6–9 · Realistic Fiction

Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey by Margaret Peterson Haddix is on US reading lists at grades 6–9. It appears on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists, across 2 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 11–14 · Grades 6–9 · 125 pages. The button opens the hardcover edition (ISBN 9780689800979). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Assigned across 2 curriculum lists · 2 states

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:Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Nebraska Golden Sower Award

This page shows where Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Reading level at a glance

Grade range: Grades 6–9
Age range: Ages 11–14
Pages: 125
Reading time: about 2h 20m (est.)
First published: 1996
Genre: Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13: 9780689800979

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-09-24; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

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About this book

Book facts and sources (2)

On award reading lists: Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (source: maslmd.org)
Nebraska Golden Sower Award (source: nlc.nebraska.gov)
Catalog record: First published 1996 · 125 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why it is assigned

This realistic fiction title is typically read at grades 6–9. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on child abuse and diaries; cited on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists.

Themes

child abuse · diaries · fathers and daughters · father-daughter relationship

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey?: Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey is listed for grades 6–9. It appears on 2 state book-award lists across 2 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey?: It takes about 2h 20m to read Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey (125 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 140 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey?: Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey appears on reading lists for Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, Nebraska Golden Sower Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey banned in schools?: Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey 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. See the banned books list by state.
What themes does Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey explore?: Central themes in Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey include child abuse, diaries, fathers and daughters, father-daughter relationship.

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 6–9 — drawn from the state book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment: Cited in 2 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence: On state book-award lists in 2 states (see citations above).
Removal / banning records: No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags: Tagged for: book-club.