The Grapes of Wrath
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is assigned in US schools at grades 10–12, with a Lexile measure of 680L. 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 The Grapes of Wrath is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Lexile
- 680L
- Grade range
- Grades 10–12
- Difficulty for grade
- Below the grade 9–10 band (1050–1335L)
- Age range
- Ages 15–18
- Pages
- 464
- Reading time
- about 8h 30m (est.)
- First published
- 1939
- Genre
- American Classic
- ISBN-13
- 9780143039433
Reading difficulty: At 680L, The Grapes of Wrath reads below the typical 1050–1335L text-complexity range for 10th 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.
Where to find this book
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About this book
The Joad family leaves Dust Bowl Oklahoma for California during the Great Depression, chasing a myth of plenty that meets them with exploitation and indifference. Steinbeck's Pulitzer-winning novel is a fixture of 11th and 12th grade American Literature courses and appears on AP Literature reading lists.
Why widely assigned
This American Classic title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 10–12. Written in the 1930s; pairs with curriculum units on economic injustice and family; cited across 2 curriculum frameworks.
Themes
economic injustice · family · migration · resilience · American Dream
Content notes
crude language · sexual content (brief) · violence · death
Common Sense Media recommends age 15+.
Where this book is assigned
AP English Literature & Composition
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
Similar grade-level books
Lord of the FliesWilliam Golding · 770L
The Great GatsbyF. Scott Fitzgerald · 1070L
1984George Orwell · 1090L
Fahrenheit 451Ray Bradbury · 890L
See all books like The Grapes of Wrath→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is The Grapes of Wrath?
- The Grapes of Wrath is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 10–12, with a Lexile measure of 680L. 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 Grapes of Wrath?
- The Grapes of Wrath has a Lexile measure of 680L 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 Grapes of Wrath?
- It takes about 8h 30m to read The Grapes of Wrath (464 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 510 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is The Grapes of Wrath hard to read for 10th grade?
- At 680L, The Grapes of Wrath reads below the typical 1050–1335L text-complexity range for 10th 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 Grapes of Wrath?
- The Grapes of Wrath appears on reading lists for AP English Literature & Composition, Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
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
- 680L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
- Grade band
- Grades 10–12 — 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
- Documented as challenged or removed in 2 states per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- No seasonal or program-specific tags on this book.