# A Tale of Two Cities

**Author:** Charles Dickens
**Lexile:** 1170L
**Grade range:** Grades 9–12
**Age range:** 14–18
**First published:** 1859
**Page count:** 448
**Genre:** Historical Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9780486406510`
**ISBN-10:** `0486406512`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/a-tale-of-two-cities
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

Set in London and Paris during the French Revolution, Dickens's novel braids the stories of Lucie Manette, Charles Darnay, and Sydney Carton — culminating in one of the most-quoted sacrifices in English literature. A staple of 9th-10th grade English courses and cited in Common Core Appendix B.

## Themes

- revolution
- sacrifice
- resurrection
- class
- injustice

## Content notes

- violence
- execution

Common Sense Media age recommendation: 13+

## Where this book is assigned

### AP English Literature & Composition

- **recommended** · 11th grade — [source: AP Lit representative text list](https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-english-literature-and-composition)

### Common Core State Standards (ELA)

- **recommended** · 10th grade — [source: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 9-10 exemplar](https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/standards-instruction/appendix-b-text-exemplars-and-sample-performance-tasks.pdf)

### IB Diploma Programme — English A: Literature

- **recommended** · 11th grade — [source: Charles Dickens is on the IB Diploma Programme English A: Literature Prescribed Reading List (author-eligible; schools select from the full PRL). Verified via independent author-roster cross-reference, 2026-09-04.](https://www.ibo.org/programmes/diploma-programme/)
- **recommended** · 12th grade — [source: Charles Dickens is on the IB Diploma Programme English A: Literature Prescribed Reading List (author-eligible; schools select from the full PRL). Verified via independent author-roster cross-reference, 2026-09-04.](https://www.ibo.org/programmes/diploma-programme/)

## Banned / challenged record

Documented removals or formal challenges in at least one school district in 2 states: FL, TX. Source: [PEN America's Index of School Book Bans](https://pen.org/banned-book-list/) 2022-2024.

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