What grade level is The River?

The River is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 5–8. 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 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 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 River explore?

Central themes in The River include survival, nature, courage, adventure. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

The River

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

by Gary Paulsen

The River by Gary Paulsen is assigned in US schools at grades 5–8. It appears across 1 curriculum reference and 1 state, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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.

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

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About this book

Gary Paulsen's 1991 sequel to Hatchet sends Brian Robeson back into the wilderness on purpose: government researchers want him to repeat his survival, this time observed. When a lightning strike leaves his companion in a coma, Brian must keep them both alive by rafting a hundred miles down a wild river to find help.

Why widely assigned

This Adventure title, typically at grades 5–8. Written in the 1990s; pairs with curriculum units on survival and nature; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

survival · nature · courage · adventure

Where this book is assigned

North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award

Similar grade-level books

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

Common questions

What grade level is The River?: The River is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 5–8. 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 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 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 River explore?: Central themes in The River include survival, nature, courage, adventure. 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 5–8 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment: Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence: Cited in 1 state ELA framework 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.