The Curse of Eelgrass Bog

About this book

Dark secrets and unnatural magic abound when a twelve-year-old girl ventures into a bog full of monsters to break a mysterious curse. Nothing about Kess Pedrock’s life is normal. Not her home (she lives in her family’s Unnatural History Museum), not her interests (hunting for megafauna fossils and skeletons), and not her best friend (a talking demon’s head in a jar named Shrunken Jim). But things get even stranger than usual when Kess meets Lilou Starling, the new girl in town. Lilou comes to Kess for help breaking a mysterious curse—and the only clue she has leads straight into the center of Eelgrass Bog. Everyone knows the bog is full of witches, demons, and possibly worse, but Kess and Lilou are determined not to let that stop them. As they investigate the mystery and uncover long-burie

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Why widely assigned

This Juvenile Fiction title, typically at grades 6–8. Published in the canon; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

• Great Lakes Great Books Award

  • recommended·6th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award 2026-27 nominee (official GLGBA nominee press release + nominees list, announced March 7, 2026 at the MRA Annual Conference; Michigan students vote through January 9, 2027) — 6-8 division
  • recommended·7th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award 2026-27 nominee (official GLGBA nominee press release + nominees list, announced March 7, 2026 at the MRA Annual Conference; Michigan students vote through January 9, 2027) — 6-8 division
  • recommended·8th grade · Michigansource: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award 2026-27 nominee (official GLGBA nominee press release + nominees list, announced March 7, 2026 at the MRA Annual Conference; Michigan students vote through January 9, 2027) — 6-8 division

Common questions

What grade level is The Curse of Eelgrass Bog?

The Curse of Eelgrass Bog is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 6–8. 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 The Curse of Eelgrass Bog?

It takes about 5 hours to read The Curse of Eelgrass Bog (273 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 300 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign The Curse of Eelgrass Bog?

The Curse of Eelgrass Bog appears on reading lists for Great Lakes Great Books Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is The Curse of Eelgrass Bog banned in schools?

The Curse of Eelgrass Bog 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.