Cover of The Dollhouse Murders

The Dollhouse Murders

by Betty Ren Wright · Grades 4–7 · Mystery

The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright is on US reading lists at grades 4–7. It appears on 9 lists: 9 book-award lists, across 13 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 9–13 · Grades 4–7. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9780545157186). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Among the most widely assigned — 9 curriculum lists · 13 states

#39 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:California Young Reader MedalTexas Bluebonnet AwardIowa Children's Choice AwardLand of Enchantment Book Award+5 more

This page shows where The Dollhouse Murders 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
Age range
Ages 9–13
First published
1983
Genre
Mystery
ISBN-13
9780545157186

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 (9)
Award won
  • Iowa Children's Choice Award, 1988 (source: Goodreads)
On award reading lists

and 4 more in where it is taught

Catalog record
First published 1983 (source: how we source book data)

Similar grade-level books

See all books like The Dollhouse Murders→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This mystery title is typically read at grades 4–7. Written in the 1980s; pairs with curriculum units on mystery and family; cited on 9 lists: 9 book-award lists.

Themes

mystery · family · ghosts

Where this book is recommended

Show 3 more awards & assignments

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Common questions

What grade level is The Dollhouse Murders?
The Dollhouse Murders is listed for grades 4–7. It appears on 9 book-award lists across 13 states, from grade 3 to grade 7. Exact placement varies by school and district.
What curricula assign The Dollhouse Murders?
The Dollhouse Murders appears on reading lists for Alabama Camellia Children's Choice Book Award, California Young Reader Medal, Iowa Children's Choice Award, and 6 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Dollhouse Murders banned in schools?
The Dollhouse Murders 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 The Dollhouse Murders explore?
Central themes in The Dollhouse Murders include mystery, family, ghosts.

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 9 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
On state book-award lists in 13 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, read-aloud.

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