Cover of In a Dark, Dark Room

In a Dark, Dark Room

by Alvin Schwartz

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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:Virginia Readers' Choice

In a Dark, Dark Room by Alvin Schwartz is assigned in US schools at grades k–3. 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 In a Dark, Dark Room 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 K–3
Age range
Ages 5–8
Pages
64
Reading time
about 1h 10m (est.)
First published
1984
Genre
Mystery
ISBN-13
9780590450287

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook

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About this book

Seven scary stories to tell at night in front of a fire or in the dark, based on traditional stories and folktales from various countries.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like In a Dark, Dark Room→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Mystery title, typically at grades k–3. Written in the 1980s; pairs with curriculum units on horror tales and folklore; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

horror tales · folklore · horror stories · tales

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is In a Dark, Dark Room?
In a Dark, Dark Room is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades K–3. 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 In a Dark, Dark Room?
It takes about 1h 10m to read In a Dark, Dark Room (64 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 70 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign In a Dark, Dark Room?
In a Dark, Dark Room appears on reading lists for Virginia Readers' Choice. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is In a Dark, Dark Room banned in schools?
In a Dark, Dark Room 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 In a Dark, Dark Room explore?
Central themes in In a Dark, Dark Room include horror tales, folklore, horror stories, tales. 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 K–3 — 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.

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