The Kite Runner
by Khaled Hosseini
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is assigned in US schools at grades 10–12, with a Lexile measure of 840L. It appears across 2 curriculum references and 1 state, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where The Kite Runner is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Lexile
- 840L
- Grade range
- Grades 10–12
- Difficulty for grade
- Below the grade 9–10 band (1050–1335L)
- Age range
- Ages 15–18
- Pages
- 371
- Reading time
- about 6h 50m (est.)
- First published
- 2003
- Genre
- Literary Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9781594631931
Reading difficulty: At 840L, The Kite Runner 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
Set in Afghanistan from the 1970s through the early 2000s, the novel follows Amir, the privileged son of a wealthy Kabul merchant, and Hassan, the Hazara servant-boy he grows up with. Widely assigned in 10th-12th grade world literature units, the novel is frequently listed in districts' challenged-book lists.
Why widely assigned
This Literary Fiction title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 10–12. Written in the 2000s; pairs with curriculum units on guilt and atonement and friendship; cited across 2 curriculum frameworks.
Themes
guilt and atonement · friendship · father-son relationships · Afghan history · immigration · ethnic prejudice
Content notes
sexual assault of a child · ethnic violence · war · trauma
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 Kite Runner→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is The Kite Runner?
- The Kite Runner is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 10–12, with a Lexile measure of 840L. 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 Kite Runner?
- The Kite Runner has a Lexile measure of 840L 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 Kite Runner?
- It takes about 6h 50m to read The Kite Runner (371 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 Kite Runner hard to read for 10th grade?
- At 840L, The Kite Runner 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 Kite Runner?
- The Kite Runner 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
- 840L — 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
- Cited in 1 state ELA framework or DOE list (see citations above).
- Removal / banning records
- Documented as challenged or removed in 4 states per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: summer.