Cover of Mick Harte Was Here

Mick Harte Was Here

by Barbara Park · Grades 5–8 · Realistic Fiction

Mick Harte Was Here by Barbara Park is on US reading lists at grades 5–8. It appears on 12 lists: 12 book-award lists, across 11 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 10–14 · Grades 5–8. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9780307786821). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Among the most widely assigned — 12 curriculum lists · 11 states

#35 most-assigned book in America — on school reading lists in 9 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:Rhode Island Children's Book AwardIowa Children's Choice AwardVermont Golden Dome Book AwardWilliam Allen White Children's Book Award+8 more

This page shows where Mick Harte Was Here 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 5–8
Age range
Ages 10–14
First published
1995
Genre
Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13
9780307786821

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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New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

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About this book

Book facts and sources (12)
Award won
  • Iowa Children's Choice Award, 1998 (source: Goodreads)
On award reading lists

and 7 more in where it is taught

Catalog record
First published 1995 (source: how we source book data)

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Mick Harte Was Here→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This realistic fiction title is typically read at grades 5–8. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on grief and family; cited on 12 lists: 12 book-award lists.

Themes

grief · family · safety

Where this book is recommended

Show 6 more awards & assignments

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Common questions

What grade level is Mick Harte Was Here?
Mick Harte Was Here is listed for grades 5–8. It appears on 12 state book-award lists across 11 states, from grade 3 to grade 8. Exact placement varies by school and district.
What curricula assign Mick Harte Was Here?
Mick Harte Was Here appears on reading lists for Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Book Award, Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award, Charlotte Award, and 9 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Mick Harte Was Here banned in schools?
Mick Harte Was Here 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 Mick Harte Was Here explore?
Central themes in Mick Harte Was Here include grief, family, safety.

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 5–8 — drawn from the state book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 12 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
On state book-award lists in 11 states (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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