Cover of Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library

Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library

by Eth Clifford · Grades 4–8 · Adventure

Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library by Eth Clifford is on US reading lists at grades 4–8. It appears on 1 list: the Young Hoosier Book Award, across 1 state. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 9–13 · Grades 4–8 · 96 pages. The button opens the print edition (ISBN 9780812435467). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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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

This page shows where Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library 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 4–8
Age range
Ages 9–13
Pages
96
Reading time
about 1h 45m (est.)
First published
1979
Genre
Adventure
ISBN-13
9780812435467

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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More like this

Same grade band, chosen by theme and by how many reading lists carry them. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

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Similar grade-level books

See all books like Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why it is assigned

This adventure title is typically read at grades 4–8. Written in the 1970s; pairs with curriculum units on libraries and blizzards; cited on the Young Hoosier Book Award.

Themes

libraries · blizzards · adventure and adventurers, fiction · libraries, fiction

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library?
Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library is listed for grades 4–8. It appears on 1 state book-award list across 1 state. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library?
It takes about 1h 45m to read Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library (96 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 105 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library?
Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library appears on reading lists for Young Hoosier Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library banned in schools?
Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library 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 Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library explore?
Central themes in Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library include libraries, blizzards, adventure and adventurers, fiction, libraries, fiction.

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 4–8 — drawn from the state book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
On state book-award lists in 1 state (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: book-club.

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