Cover of Zach's Lie

Zach's Lie

by Roland Smith · Grades 3–8 · Realistic Fiction

Zach's Lie by Roland Smith is on US reading lists at grades 3–8. It appears on 3 lists: 3 book-award lists, across 3 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 8–13 · Grades 3–8 · 246 pages. The button opens the print edition (ISBN 9780786806171). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Widely assigned — 3 curriculum lists · 3 states

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:Nevada Young Readers' AwardNorth Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book AwardMark Twain Readers Award

This page shows where Zach's Lie 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 3–8
Age range
Ages 8–13
Pages
246
Reading time
about 4h 30m (est.)
First published
1999
Genre
Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13
9780786806171

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-09-24; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

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About this book

Book facts and sources (3)
On award reading lists
Catalog record
First published 1999 · 246 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Zach's Lie→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This realistic fiction title is typically read at grades 3–8. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on witness protection programs and drug dealers; cited on 3 lists: 3 book-award lists.

Themes

witness protection programs · drug dealers · kidnapping · escapes

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is Zach's Lie?
Zach's Lie is listed for grades 3–8. It appears on 3 state book-award lists across 3 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read Zach's Lie?
It takes about 4h 30m to read Zach's Lie (246 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 270 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Zach's Lie?
Zach's Lie appears on reading lists for Mark Twain Readers Award, Nevada Young Readers' Award, North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Zach's Lie banned in schools?
Zach's Lie 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. See the banned books list by state.
What themes does Zach's Lie explore?
Central themes in Zach's Lie include witness protection programs, drug dealers, kidnapping, escapes.

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 3–8 — drawn from the state book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 3 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
On state book-award lists in 3 states (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: book-club.

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