What grade level is The Face at the Edge of the World?

The Face at the Edge of the World is listed for grades 9–12. It appears on 2 state book-award lists across 2 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.

How long does it take to read The Face at the Edge of the World?

It takes about 2h 55m to read The Face at the Edge of the World (158 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 175 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

Is The Face at the Edge of the World banned in schools?

The Face at the Edge of the World 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. See the banned books list by state.

What themes does The Face at the Edge of the World explore?

Central themes in The Face at the Edge of the World include suicide, african americans, suicide, fiction, african americans, fiction.

The Face at the Edge of the World

Name: The Face at the Edge of the World
Availability: InStock
Author: Eve Bunting
ISBN: 9780899198002

by Eve Bunting · Grades 9–12 · Realistic Fiction

The Face at the Edge of the World by Eve Bunting is on US reading lists at grades 9–12. It appears on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists, across 2 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 14–17 · Grades 9–12 · 158 pages. The button opens the print edition (ISBN 9780899198002). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Assigned across 2 curriculum lists · 2 states

Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).

On reading-award lists:California Young Reader Medal Virginia Readers' Choice

This page shows where The Face at the Edge of the World is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Reading level at a glance

Grade range: Grades 9–12
Age range: Ages 14–17
Pages: 158
Reading time: about 2h 55m (est.)
First published: 1985
Genre: Realistic Fiction
ISBN-13: 9780899198002

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-09-24; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

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About this book

Book facts and sources (2)

On award reading lists: California Young Reader Medal (source: californiayoungreadermedal.org)
Virginia Readers' Choice (source: vslatoday.org)
Catalog record: First published 1985 · 158 pages (edition lengths vary) (source: how we source book data)

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See all books like The Face at the Edge of the World→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why it is assigned

This realistic fiction title is typically read at grades 9–12. Written in the 1980s; pairs with curriculum units on suicide and african americans; cited on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists.

Themes

suicide · african americans · suicide, fiction · african americans, fiction

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is The Face at the Edge of the World?: The Face at the Edge of the World is listed for grades 9–12. It appears on 2 state book-award lists across 2 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read The Face at the Edge of the World?: It takes about 2h 55m to read The Face at the Edge of the World (158 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 175 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Face at the Edge of the World?: The Face at the Edge of the World appears on reading lists for California Young Reader Medal, Virginia Readers' Choice. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Face at the Edge of the World banned in schools?: The Face at the Edge of the World 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. See the banned books list by state.
What themes does The Face at the Edge of the World explore?: Central themes in The Face at the Edge of the World include suicide, african americans, suicide, fiction, african americans, fiction.

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 9–12 — drawn from the state book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment: Cited in 2 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence: On state book-award lists in 2 states (see citations above).
Removal / banning records: No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags: Tagged for: book-club.