The Hunger Games

About this book

In a future North America of twelve impoverished districts dominated by a wealthy capital, sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers as tribute for a televised survival tournament in which only one of twenty-four teens can live. Collins's novel anchors many middle-school dystopian units and is the first of the best-selling trilogy.

Why widely assigned

This Young Adult Dystopian title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 6–9. Written in the 2000s; pairs with curriculum units on authoritarianism and survival; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

• Common Core State Standards (ELA)

  • recommended·7th grade · Californiasource: CA CCSS ELA grade 7 commonly taught text
  • recommended·8th gradesource: Common Core aligned summer-reading list — rising 8th grade
  • supplementary·8th gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B adjacent — commonly read independently in grades 6-9

Similar grade-level books

• 
  The Outsiders
  S.E. Hinton · 750L
• 
  Lord of the Flies
  William Golding · 770L
• 
  1984
  George Orwell · 1090L
• 
  Fahrenheit 451
  Ray Bradbury · 890L

See all books like The Hunger Games→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Common questions

What grade level is The Hunger Games?

The Hunger Games is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 6–9, with a Lexile measure of 810L. 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 Hunger Games?

The Hunger Games has a Lexile measure of 810L 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 Hunger Games?

It takes about 6h 50m to read The Hunger Games (374 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 410 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

Is The Hunger Games hard to read for 6th grade?

At 810L, The Hunger Games reads below the typical 925–1185L text-complexity range for 6th 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 Hunger Games?

The Hunger Games appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.