What grade level is Death and the King's Horseman?

Death and the King's Horseman 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 Death and the King's Horseman?

It takes about 1h 25m to read Death and the King's Horseman (77 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 85 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Death and the King's Horseman?

Death and the King's Horseman appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Death and the King's Horseman banned in schools?

Death and the King's Horseman 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 Death and the King's Horseman explore?

Central themes in Death and the King's Horseman include drama, yoruba (african people), suicide, prevention.

Death and the King's Horseman

Name: Death and the King's Horseman
Availability: InStock
Author: Wole Soyinka
ISBN: 9780393322996

by Wole Soyinka · Grades 11–12 · Historical Fiction

Death and the King's Horseman by Wole Soyinka 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 · 77 pages. The button opens the print edition (ISBN 9780393322996). 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 Death and the King's Horseman 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: 77
Reading time: about 1h 25m (est.)
First published: 1975
Genre: Historical Fiction
ISBN-13: 9780393322996

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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See all books like Death and the King's Horseman→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why it is assigned

This historical fiction title is typically read at grades 11–12. Written in the 1970s; pairs with curriculum units on drama and yoruba (african people); cited on the Common Core State Standards (ELA).

Themes

drama · yoruba (african people) · suicide · prevention

Where this book is assigned

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

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Common questions

What grade level is Death and the King's Horseman?: Death and the King's Horseman 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 Death and the King's Horseman?: It takes about 1h 25m to read Death and the King's Horseman (77 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 85 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Death and the King's Horseman?: Death and the King's Horseman appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Death and the King's Horseman banned in schools?: Death and the King's Horseman 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 Death and the King's Horseman explore?: Central themes in Death and the King's Horseman include drama, yoruba (african people), suicide, prevention.

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.