Cover of The Old Willis Place

The Old Willis Place

by Mary Downing Hahn

The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn is assigned in US schools at grades 3–6. It appears across 3 curriculum references and 3 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 Old Willis Place 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
Pages
164
Reading time
about 3 hours (est.)
First published
2024
ISBN-13
9780358649939
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About this book

Diana and her little brother, Georgie, know every inch of the land around the old Willis place, a crumbling mansion that some people say is haunted. They climb the trees and swim in the pond. And they can do whatever they want, even stay up all night. They don't have to change their clothes, brush their hair, or go to school. They have total freedom--as long as they don't leave the grounds. When Lissa arrives with her father, the new caretaker of the estate, Diana is overjoyed. She's been wishing for a friend. She can show Lissa all her favorite spots, and they can share their favorite books. Maybe Lissa can even help her uncover the ghastly secret of the creepy old Willis house. But there are rules that must be followed in order to keep the peace. Diana and Georgie aren't allowed to make

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is The Old Willis Place?
The Old Willis Place 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.
How long does it take to read The Old Willis Place?
It takes about 3 hours to read The Old Willis Place (164 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 180 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Old Willis Place?
The Old Willis Place appears on reading lists for Dorothy Canfield Fisher / Vermont Golden Dome Book Award, Iowa Children's Choice Award, Nebraska Golden Sower Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Old Willis Place banned in schools?
The Old Willis Place 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

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 3 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 3 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: award-winner, book-club.