What grade level is Once There Was?

Once There Was is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–12. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.

What curricula assign Once There Was?

Once There Was appears on reading lists for Odyssey Award (Best Audiobook), William C. Morris YA Debut Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Once There Was banned in schools?

Once There Was 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.

Once There Was

Name: Once There Was
Availability: InStock
Author: Kiyash Monsef
ISBN: 9781398520448

by Kiyash Monsef

Assigned across 2 curriculum lists

Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef is assigned in US schools at grades 9–12. It appears across 2 curriculum references, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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

Grade range: Grades 9–12
First published: 2023
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN-13: 9781398520448

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About this book

Discover a world of extraordinary beasts and unexpected heroes in the dazzling debut from Kiyash Monsef. Perfect for readers aged 9+ and fans of Philip Pullman, Neil Gaiman, J.K. Rowling and A.F. Steadman. Once was, once wasn't . . . So began the stories Marjan's father told her as a little girl - tales of mythical beasts that filled her with curiosity and wonder: Griffons. Unicorns. Dragons. But Marjan is not a little girl anymore. After her father's sudden death, she is trying to hold it all together: her schoolwork, her friendships and her dad's struggling veterinary practice. But a mysterious visitor soon reveals that Marjan's father was no ordinary vet. The creatures from his stories are real - and he travelled the world to care for them. Stepping into a secret world hidden in plain s

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Why widely assigned

This Young Adult title, typically at grades 9–12. Written in the 2020s; cited across 2 curriculum frameworks.

Where this book is assigned

Common questions

What grade level is Once There Was?: Once There Was is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–12. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
What curricula assign Once There Was?: Once There Was appears on reading lists for Odyssey Award (Best Audiobook), William C. Morris YA Debut Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Once There Was banned in schools?: Once There Was 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

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 9–12 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment: Cited in 2 curricula 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: read-aloud.