What grade level is The River?

The River is listed for grades 5–8. It appears on 1 state book-award list across 1 state. Exact placement varies by school and district.

How long does it take to read The River?

It takes about 2h 25m to read The River (132 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 145 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign The River?

The River appears on reading lists for North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is The River banned in schools?

The River has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 1 state (TX) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.

What themes does The River explore?

Central themes in The River include survival, nature, courage, adventure.

The River

Name: The River
Availability: InStock
Author: Gary Paulsen
ISBN: 9780385902212

by Gary Paulsen · Grades 5–8 · Adventure

The River by Gary Paulsen is on US reading lists at grades 5–8. It appears on 1 list: the North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award, across 1 state. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 10–13 · Grades 5–8 · 132 pages. The button opens the hardcover edition (ISBN 9780385902212). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

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:North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award

This page shows where The River 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 5–8
Age range: Ages 10–13
Pages: 132
Reading time: about 2h 25m (est.)
First published: 1991
Genre: Adventure
ISBN-13: 9780385902212

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-06-15; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

Good fit for grade 5?

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Similar grade-level books

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

Why it is assigned

This adventure title is typically read at grades 5–8. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on survival and nature; cited on the North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award.

Themes

survival · nature · courage · adventure

Where this book is recommended

North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award

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Common questions

What grade level is The River?: The River is listed for grades 5–8. It appears on 1 state book-award list across 1 state. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read The River?: It takes about 2h 25m to read The River (132 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 145 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The River?: The River appears on reading lists for North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The River banned in schools?: The River has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 1 state (TX) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.
What themes does The River explore?: Central themes in The River include survival, nature, courage, adventure.

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 5–8 — drawn from the state book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment: Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence: On state book-award lists in 1 state (see citations above).
Removal / banning records: Documented as challenged or removed in 1 state per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans — see the full banned & challenged books list.
Seasonal / contextual tags: Tagged for: book-club.