My Ántonia
by Willa Cather
My Ántonia by Willa Cather is assigned in US schools at grades 10–12, with a Lexile measure of 1010L. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where My Ántonia is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
Audible trial: new members only. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.
- Lexile
- 1010L
- Grade range
- Grades 10–12
- Difficulty for grade
- Below the grade 9–10 band (1050–1335L)
- Age range
- Ages 15–18
- Pages
- 272
- Reading time
- about 5 hours (est.)
- First published
- 1918
- Genre
- Historical Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780395755549
Reading difficulty: At 1010L, My Ántonia reads below the typical 1050–1335L text-complexity range for 10th 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.
Reading below grade level? Kids who struggle with the print version often finish the assigned book by listening — try the audiobook free with a 30-day Audible trial. Affiliate link · trial for new members.
New to these terms? What is a Lexile level? · Reading levels by grade
More formats & details
Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook
As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you. Pricing, Prime, and trial terms shown on Amazon.
About this book
Willa Cather's 1918 novel tells the story of Jim Burden and his childhood friend Ántonia Shimerda, a Bohemian immigrant on the Nebraska prairie at the turn of the 20th century. A Common Core Appendix B exemplar and a staple of 11th grade American literature units on the frontier and immigrant experience.
Similar grade-level books
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee · 870L
The Great GatsbyF. Scott Fitzgerald · 1070L
Of Mice and MenJohn Steinbeck · 630L
Lord of the FliesWilliam Golding · 770L
See all books like My Ántonia→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Why widely assigned
This Historical Fiction title, reads at young-adult to upper-middle-grade complexity, typically at grades 10–12. Written in the 1910s; pairs with curriculum units on immigration and frontier.
Themes
immigration · frontier · memory · friendship · american identity
Content notes
suicide (historical) · hardship
Common Sense Media recommends age 13+.
Where this book is assigned
No curriculum assignments on file yet.
Was this page helpful?
Common questions
- What grade level is My Ántonia?
- My Ántonia is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 10–12, with a Lexile measure of 1010L. 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 My Ántonia?
- My Ántonia has a Lexile measure of 1010L 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 My Ántonia?
- It takes about 5 hours to read My Ántonia (272 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 300 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is My Ántonia hard to read for 10th grade?
- At 1010L, My Ántonia reads below the typical 1050–1335L text-complexity range for 10th 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 My Ántonia banned in schools?
- My Ántonia 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
How we classifyHide
Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.
- Lexile measure
- 1010L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades 10–12 — 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.