My Ántonia
by Willa Cather
- Lexile
- 1010L
- Grade range
- Grades 10–12
- Age range
- Ages 15–18
- Pages
- 272
- First published
- 1918
- Genre
- Historical Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780395755549
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.
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.
Similar grade-level books
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.
- 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.
- What themes does My Ántonia explore?
- Central themes in My Ántonia include immigration, frontier, memory, friendship, american identity. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.