What grade level is Under the Surface?

Under the Surface is listed for grades 7–12. It appears on 1 state book-award list across 1 state. Exact placement varies by school and district.

What curricula assign Under the Surface?

Under the Surface appears on reading lists for Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Under the Surface banned in schools?

Under the Surface 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 Under the Surface explore?

Central themes in Under the Surface include survival, mystery, friendship.

Under the Surface

Name: Under the Surface
Availability: InStock
Author: Diana Urban
ISBN: 9780593625101

by Diana Urban · Grades 7–12 · Mystery

Under the Surface by Diana Urban is on US reading lists at grades 7–12. It appears on 1 list: the Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award, across 1 state. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 13–18 · Grades 7–12. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9780593625101). 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:Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award

This page shows where Under the Surface 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 7–12
Age range: Ages 13–18
First published: 2024
Genre: Mystery
ISBN-13: 9780593625101

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-06-08; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

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Similar grade-level books

See all books like Under the Surface→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why it is assigned

This mystery title is typically read at grades 7–12. Written in the 2020s; pairs with curriculum units on survival and mystery; cited on the Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award.

Themes

survival · mystery · friendship

Where this book is recommended

Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award

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Common questions

What grade level is Under the Surface?: Under the Surface is listed for grades 7–12. It appears on 1 state book-award list across 1 state. Exact placement varies by school and district.
What curricula assign Under the Surface?: Under the Surface appears on reading lists for Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Under the Surface banned in schools?: Under the Surface 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 Under the Surface explore?: Central themes in Under the Surface include survival, mystery, friendship.

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 7–12 — 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.