
The Fault in Our Stars
by John Green
Widely assigned — 3 curriculum lists · 2 states
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is assigned in US schools at grades 9–12, with a Lexile measure of 850L. It appears across 3 curriculum references and 2 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where The Fault in Our Stars is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
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- Lexile
- 850L
- Grade range
- Grades 9–12
- Difficulty for grade
- Below the grade 9–10 band (1050–1335L)
- Age range
- Ages 14–18
- Pages
- 313
- Reading time
- about 5h 45m (est.)
- First published
- 2012
- Genre
- Young Adult Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780142424179
Reading difficulty: At 850L, The Fault in Our Stars reads below the typical 1050–1335L text-complexity range for 9th 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.
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About this book
Sixteen-year-old Hazel Grace Lancaster, who lives with terminal thyroid cancer, meets Augustus Waters at a support group, and the two fall into a sharp, funny, and unflinching romance. John Green's novel follows their search for meaning and a favorite author across a brief, intense relationship shadowed by illness. A bestseller frequently used in grades 9-12 and book-club settings, it pairs an accessible voice with mature reflection on mortality and grief.
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 The Fault in Our Stars→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Why widely assigned
This Young Adult Fiction title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 9–12. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on mortality and grief; cited across 3 curriculum frameworks.
Themes
mortality · grief · love · coming of age
Content notes
terminal illness · death · mature themes
Where this book is assigned
Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award
- recommended·9th grade · Ohiosource: Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award — official winners list (Ohio, K-12 grade bands, voted biennially/annually since 1982)
- recommended·10th grade · Ohiosource: Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award — official winners list (Ohio, K-12 grade bands, voted biennially/annually since 1982)
- recommended·11th grade · Ohiosource: Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award — official winners list (Ohio, K-12 grade bands, voted biennially/annually since 1982)
- recommended·12th grade · Ohiosource: Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award — official winners list (Ohio, K-12 grade bands, voted biennially/annually since 1982)
Odyssey Award (Best Audiobook)
- recommended·9th gradesource: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2013 Winner
- recommended·10th gradesource: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2013 Winner
- recommended·11th gradesource: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2013 Winner
- recommended·12th gradesource: Odyssey Award (best audiobook) winners + honors, via Wikipedia — 2013 Winner
Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA)
- recommended·9th grade · Oregonsource: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)
- recommended·10th grade · Oregonsource: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)
- recommended·11th grade · Oregonsource: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)
- recommended·12th grade · Oregonsource: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)
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Common questions
- What grade level is The Fault in Our Stars?
- The Fault in Our Stars is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–12, with a Lexile measure of 850L. 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 The Fault in Our Stars?
- The Fault in Our Stars has a Lexile measure of 850L 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 The Fault in Our Stars?
- It takes about 5h 45m to read The Fault in Our Stars (313 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 345 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is The Fault in Our Stars hard to read for 9th grade?
- At 850L, The Fault in Our Stars reads below the typical 1050–1335L text-complexity range for 9th 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.
- What curricula assign The Fault in Our Stars?
- The Fault in Our Stars appears on reading lists for Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award, Odyssey Award (Best Audiobook), Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
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
- 850L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades 9–12 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 3 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- Cited in 2 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: book-club, read-aloud.