Cover of Stepping on the Cracks

Stepping on the Cracks

by Mary Downing Hahn · Grades 4–7

Stepping on the Cracks by Mary Downing Hahn is on US reading lists at grades 4–7. It appears on 3 lists: 3 book-award lists, across 2 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Grades 4–7 · 216 pages. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9780380719006). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Widely assigned — 3 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:Nebraska Golden Sower AwardScott O'Dell Award for Historical FictionMaryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award

This page shows where Stepping on the Cracks 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 4–7
Pages
216
Reading time
about 4 hours (est.)
First published
1992
ISBN-13
9780380719006

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 (3)
Award won
  • Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, 1992 (source: Wikipedia)
On award reading lists
Catalog record
First published 1992 · 216 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)

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Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is Stepping on the Cracks?
Stepping on the Cracks is listed for grades 4–7. It appears on 3 book-award lists across 2 states, from grade 4 to grade 8. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read Stepping on the Cracks?
It takes about 4 hours to read Stepping on the Cracks (216 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 240 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Stepping on the Cracks?
Stepping on the Cracks appears on reading lists for Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, Nebraska Golden Sower Award, Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Stepping on the Cracks banned in schools?
Stepping on the Cracks 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

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 4–7 — drawn from the book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 3 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: award-winner, book-club.

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