Cover of The Indian in the Cupboard

The Indian in the Cupboard

by Lynne Reid Banks

The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks is assigned in US schools at grades 3–6. It appears across 2 curriculum references and 2 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where The Indian in the Cupboard is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Grade range
Grades 3–6
Age range
Ages 8–12
First published
2010
Genre
Fantasy
ISBN-13
9780307576248
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About this book

Omri's birthday cupboard brings a tiny plastic figure to life, and he learns that caring for a living person is a far greater responsibility than he imagined. (Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award winner.)

Why widely assigned

This Fantasy title, typically at grades 3–6. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on friendship and responsibility; cited across 2 curriculum frameworks.

Themes

friendship · responsibility · imagination

Where this book is assigned

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See all books like The Indian in the Cupboard→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Common questions

What grade level is The Indian in the Cupboard?
The Indian in the Cupboard is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–6. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
What curricula assign The Indian in the Cupboard?
The Indian in the Cupboard appears on reading lists for Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award, Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Indian in the Cupboard banned in schools?
The Indian in the Cupboard 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 Indian in the Cupboard explore?
Central themes in The Indian in the Cupboard include friendship, responsibility, imagination. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Why this book is on this list

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 3–6 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 2 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 2 states ELA frameworks 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.