Anthem
by Ayn Rand
Anthem by Ayn Rand is assigned in US schools at grades 8–12, with a Lexile measure of 880L. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where Anthem is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Lexile
- 880L
- Grade range
- Grades 8–12
- Difficulty for grade
- Below the grade 6–8 band (925–1185L)
- Age range
- Ages 13–18
- Pages
- 105
- Reading time
- about 1h 55m (est.)
- First published
- 1938
- Genre
- Dystopian Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780451191137
Reading difficulty: At 880L, Anthem reads below the typical 925–1185L text-complexity range for 8th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge.
Where to find this book
Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook
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About this book
In a future collectivist society where the word "I" has been erased and people are known only by numbers, a young man called Equality 7-2521 rediscovers electricity, individual love, and ultimately the forbidden idea of the self. Ayn Rand's short 1938 dystopia is frequently assigned in grades 8-12 for studying individualism versus collectivism and as an accessible companion to longer dystopias.
Why widely assigned
This Dystopian Fiction title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 8–12. Written in the 1930s; pairs with curriculum units on individualism and freedom.
Where this book is assigned
No curriculum assignments on file yet.
Similar grade-level books
The OutsidersS.E. Hinton · 750L
Lord of the FliesWilliam Golding · 770L
The Great GatsbyF. Scott Fitzgerald · 1070L
1984George Orwell · 1090L
See all books like Anthem→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is Anthem?
- Anthem is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 8–12, with a Lexile measure of 880L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What is the Lexile level of Anthem?
- Anthem has a Lexile measure of 880L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
- How long does it take to read Anthem?
- It takes about 1h 55m to read Anthem (105 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 115 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is Anthem hard to read for 8th grade?
- At 880L, Anthem reads below the typical 925–1185L text-complexity range for 8th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.
- Is Anthem banned in schools?
- Anthem 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.
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
- 880L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades 8–12 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Not yet documented in any tracked curriculum.
- State-level evidence
- Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- No seasonal or program-specific tags on this book.