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Sugar Creek Gang Books in Order

Sugar Creek Gang is a 2-book series by Paul Hutchens for ages 9–12, at a grades 5–6 reading level, with mild content (HootRated intensity 2/5).

Books
2
By publication date
Reading level
Grades 5–6
Average grade level 5.6
Recommended ages
Ages 9–12
From HootRated age ratings
Content intensity
Mild
HootRated 2/5

Sugar Creek Gang Reading Order

Series numbers aren't available for most Sugar Creek Gang books, so they're listed by publication date (oldest first).

# Title Reading Level Ages Content
1 The mystery thief
1967
Level 5-6 9-12 Mild
2 The tree house mystery
1972
Level 5-6 9-12 Mild

Content Intensity Across the Series

Consistent

Content stays at a steady intensity level throughout the series.

1
2
First book Latest book

Series books grow with readers — but that's also the trap. Most series start at one reading level and one content intensity and drift upward over the course of the run. Sugar Creek Gang (2 books by Paul Hutchens) lands at a grades 5–6 reading level, with average content intensity 2/5. Intensity stays consistent across the series, so a reader who can handle the first book can generally handle the rest.

The reading-order table above lists every book with per-volume reading level, age and intensity ratings so you can spot any escalation before it catches your reader off guard. For a deeper dive into how we score text difficulty vs. emotional weight separately — and why series readers especially benefit from that split — see our methodology page.

All Sugar Creek Gang Books

The mystery thief

Paul Hutchens

Cover of The mystery thief

The mystery thief

Paul Hutchens

Level 5-6

The tree house mystery

Paul Hutchens

Cover of The tree house mystery

The tree house mystery

Paul Hutchens

Level 5-6

Similar reading level, content intensity and themes.

Questions about the Sugar Creek Gang series

What reading level is the Sugar Creek Gang series?
Sugar Creek Gang books are at a grades 5–6 reading level (average grade level 5.6), and HootRated recommends the series for ages 9–12. There are 2 books in the series.
What order should I read the Sugar Creek Gang books?
Series numbers aren't available for most Sugar Creek Gang books, so HootRated lists them by publication date: The mystery thief (1967); The tree house mystery (1972).
What age is the Sugar Creek Gang series appropriate for?
HootRated recommends Sugar Creek Gang for ages 9–12. Content is mild (HootRated intensity 2/5). Intensity stays consistent across the series, so a reader who can handle the first book can generally handle the rest.