What grade level is Fire on the Mountain?

Fire on the Mountain is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–10. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.

How long does it take to read Fire on the Mountain?

It takes about 2h 40m to read Fire on the Mountain (145 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 160 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign Fire on the Mountain?

Fire on the Mountain appears on reading lists for Cambridge IGCSE English Literature (0475). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Fire on the Mountain banned in schools?

Fire on the Mountain 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.

What themes does Fire on the Mountain explore?

Central themes in Fire on the Mountain include grandmothers, mothers and daughters, india, fiction. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Fire on the Mountain

Name: Fire on the Mountain
Availability: InStock
Author: Anita Desai
ISBN: 9780060110666

by Anita Desai

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).

Fire on the Mountain by Anita Desai is assigned in US schools at grades 9–10. It appears across 1 curriculum reference, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Fire on the Mountain is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

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Grade range: Grades 9–10
Age range: Ages 14–15
Pages: 145
Reading time: about 2h 40m (est.)
First published: 1977
Genre: Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13: 9780060110666

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About this book

In this novel of India, Nadia Kaul's great-granddaughter is sent to spend the summer with her. Nadia is upset by having her routine disturbed but finds herself attempting to draw out and communicated with the strange and unfathomable girl who is strangely like herself.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Fire on the Mountain→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Realistic Fiction title, typically at grades 9–10. Written in the 1970s; pairs with curriculum units on grandmothers and mothers and daughters; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

grandmothers · mothers and daughters · india, fiction

Where this book is assigned

Cambridge IGCSE English Literature (0475)
- required·9th grade source: Prescribed set text for Cambridge IGCSE Literature in English (0475), Paper 1 Section B (Prose), for examination in 2027. Transcribed from the official Cambridge International syllabus (721333-2027-syllabus.pdf). Set texts rotate per exam year — re-verify
- required·10th grade source: Prescribed set text for Cambridge IGCSE Literature in English (0475), Paper 1 Section B (Prose), for examination in 2027. Transcribed from the official Cambridge International syllabus (721333-2027-syllabus.pdf). Set texts rotate per exam year — re-verify

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Common questions

What grade level is Fire on the Mountain?: Fire on the Mountain is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–10. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
How long does it take to read Fire on the Mountain?: It takes about 2h 40m to read Fire on the Mountain (145 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 160 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Fire on the Mountain?: Fire on the Mountain appears on reading lists for Cambridge IGCSE English Literature (0475). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Fire on the Mountain banned in schools?: Fire on the Mountain 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.
What themes does Fire on the Mountain explore?: Central themes in Fire on the Mountain include grandmothers, mothers and daughters, india, fiction. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

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 9–10 — 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: 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: Tagged for: Paper 1 Section B (Prose).