Fahrenheit 451
by Ray Bradbury
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is assigned in US schools at grades 9–12, with a Lexile measure of 890L. It appears across 1 curriculum reference and 2 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where Fahrenheit 451 is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Lexile
- 890L
- Grade range
- Grades 9–12
- Difficulty for grade
- Below the grade 9–10 band (1050–1335L)
- Age range
- Ages 13–18
- Pages
- 249
- Reading time
- about 4h 35m (est.)
- First published
- 1953
- Genre
- Dystopian Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9781451673319
Reading difficulty: At 890L, Fahrenheit 451 reads below the typical 1050–1335L text-complexity range for 9th 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
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About this book
In a future America where books are banned and firemen burn the few that remain, Guy Montag begins to question his role after meeting an unusually curious neighbor. Bradbury's short novel, written in the early Cold War, anticipates modern debates about media saturation, censorship, and attention. It is a common 9th- and 10th-grade assigned text.
Why widely assigned
This Dystopian Fiction title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 9–12. Written in the 1950s; pairs with curriculum units on censorship and conformity; cited across 1 curriculum framework.
Themes
censorship · conformity · technology and media · knowledge and ignorance · rebellion
Content notes
violence · suicide attempt · book burning imagery
Common Sense Media recommends age 13+.
Where this book is assigned
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
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 Fahrenheit 451→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is Fahrenheit 451?
- Fahrenheit 451 is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–12, with a Lexile measure of 890L. 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 Fahrenheit 451?
- Fahrenheit 451 has a Lexile measure of 890L 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 Fahrenheit 451?
- It takes about 4h 35m to read Fahrenheit 451 (249 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 275 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is Fahrenheit 451 hard to read for 9th grade?
- At 890L, Fahrenheit 451 reads below the typical 1050–1335L text-complexity range for 9th 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.
- What curricula assign Fahrenheit 451?
- Fahrenheit 451 appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
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
- 890L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades 9–12 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- Cited in 2 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- No seasonal or program-specific tags on this book.