What grade level is Billy Budd?

Billy Budd is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 11–12. It appears on 1 school reading list. Exact placement varies by school and district.

How long does it take to read Billy Budd?

It takes about 3h 20m to read Billy Budd (183 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 200 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Billy Budd?

Billy Budd appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Billy Budd banned in schools?

Billy Budd 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 Billy Budd explore?

Central themes in Billy Budd include classics, classic literature, sailors.

Billy Budd

Name: Billy Budd
Availability: InStock
Author: Herman Melville
ISBN: 9781420956214

by Herman Melville · Grades 11–12 · Historical Fiction

Billy Budd by Herman Melville is assigned in US schools at grades 11–12. It appears on 1 list: the Common Core State Standards (ELA). Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 16–17 · Grades 11–12 · 183 pages. The button opens the print edition (ISBN 9781420956214). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Assigned across 1 curriculum list

Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).

This page shows where Billy Budd 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 11–12
Age range: Ages 16–17
Pages: 183
Reading time: about 3h 20m (est.)
First published: 1900
Genre: Historical Fiction
ISBN-13: 9781420956214

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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Similar grade-level books

See all books like Billy Budd→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why it is assigned

This historical fiction title is typically read at grades 11–12. Written in the 1900s; pairs with curriculum units on classics and classic literature; cited on the Common Core State Standards (ELA).

Themes

classics · classic literature · sailors

Where this book is assigned

Common Core State Standards (ELA)
- recommended·11th grade source: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 11-CCR story exemplar
- recommended·12th grade source: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 11-CCR story exemplar

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Common questions

What grade level is Billy Budd?: Billy Budd is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 11–12. It appears on 1 school reading list. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read Billy Budd?: It takes about 3h 20m to read Billy Budd (183 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 200 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Billy Budd?: Billy Budd appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Billy Budd banned in schools?: Billy Budd 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 Billy Budd explore?: Central themes in Billy Budd include classics, classic literature, sailors.

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 11–12 — drawn from the curriculum sources cited on this page.
Curriculum alignment: Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
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.