What grade level is The Dunderheads?

The Dunderheads is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–5. 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 Dunderheads?

It takes about 1 hour to read The Dunderheads (54 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 60 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

Is The Dunderheads banned in schools?

The Dunderheads 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 Dunderheads explore?

Central themes in The Dunderheads include schools, individuality, humorous stories, teachers. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

The Dunderheads

Name: The Dunderheads
Availability: InStock
Author: Paul Fleischman
ISBN: 9780763652395

by Paul Fleischman

Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

On reading-award lists:Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award (Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards), Grades 3-5 & Grades 6-8 divisions

The Dunderheads by Paul Fleischman is assigned in US schools at grades 3–5. 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 The Dunderheads is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

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Grade range: Grades 3–5
Age range: Ages 8–10
Pages: 54
Reading time: about 1 hour (est.)
First published: 2009
Genre: Fantasy
ISBN-13: 9780763652395

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About this book

Junkyard, Einstein, Wheels, Pencil, Spider, Hollywood, Spitball, Clips, and Google-Eyes team up to try to outwit their teacher Miss Breakbone.

Similar grade-level books

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

Why widely assigned

This Fantasy title, typically at grades 3–5. Written in the 2000s; pairs with curriculum units on schools and individuality; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

schools · individuality · humorous stories · teachers

Where this book is assigned

Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award (Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards), Grades 3-5 & Grades 6-8 divisions

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Common questions

What grade level is The Dunderheads?: The Dunderheads is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–5. 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 Dunderheads?: It takes about 1 hour to read The Dunderheads (54 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 60 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Dunderheads?: The Dunderheads appears on reading lists for Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award (Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards), Grades 3-5 & Grades 6-8 divisions. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Dunderheads banned in schools?: The Dunderheads 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 Dunderheads explore?: Central themes in The Dunderheads include schools, individuality, humorous stories, teachers. 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 3–5 — 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.