Cover of The Dark Is Rising

The Dark Is Rising

by Susan Cooper

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper is assigned in US schools at grades 4–9. 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 The Dark Is Rising 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 4–9
Pages
304
Reading time
about 5h 35m (est.)
First published
2023
Genre
Children's
ISBN-13
9781665932882
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About this book

On the Midwinter Day that is his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discovers an astounding gift -- that he is the last of the Old Ones, immortals who fight to keep the powers of evil, the Dark, from taking over the world. At once, he is plunged into a quest for the six magical Signs that will one day aid the Old Ones in the final battle between the Light and the Dark. But the Dark has already sent out the Rider -- evil cloaked in black, mounted on a midnight stallion -- and has far worse in store. Will must find the six great signs -- wood, bronze, iron, water, fire, and stone -- before the Dark begins its dreadful rise.

Why widely assigned

This Children's title, typically at grades 4–9. Written in the 2020s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is The Dark Is Rising?
The Dark Is Rising is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–9. 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 The Dark Is Rising?
It takes about 5h 35m to read The Dark Is Rising (304 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 335 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Dark Is Rising?
The Dark Is Rising appears on reading lists for Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Dark Is Rising banned in schools?
The Dark Is Rising 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 4–9 — 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: read-aloud.