Cover of The Maze Runner

The Maze Runner

by James Dashner · Grades 7–12 · Dystopian

The Maze Runner by James Dashner is on US reading lists at grades 7–12. It appears on 8 lists: 8 book-award lists, across 8 states. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 12–17 · Grades 7–12. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9781908435484). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Among the most widely assigned — 8 curriculum lists · 8 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:Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice AwardCharlotte AwardOregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA)Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award+4 more

This page shows where The Maze Runner 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 7–12
Age range
Ages 12–17
First published
2009
Genre
Dystopian
ISBN-13
9781908435484

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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Listen to The Maze Runner

The unabridged audiobook runs 10 hr 50 min, narrated by Mark Deakins.

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About this book

Book facts and sources (9)
Awards won
  • Volunteer State Book Award (High School division), 2011 (source: tasltn.org)
  • Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers (source: sites.google.com)
On award reading lists

and 2 more in where it is taught

Series
  • Book 1 of 5 in The Maze Runner (publication order) (source: Series book lists + publication order verified against publisher catalogs / Wikipedia. Checked 2026-06-29.)
Catalog record
First published 2009 (source: how we source book data)

Part of a series — read in order

Similar grade-level books

See all books like The Maze Runner→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This dystopian title is typically read at grades 7–12. Written in the 2000s; pairs with curriculum units on survival and memory; cited on 8 lists: 8 book-award lists.

Themes

survival · memory · friendship

Where this book is recommended

Show 2 more awards & assignments

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Common questions

What grade level is The Maze Runner?
The Maze Runner is listed for grades 7–12. It appears on 8 book-award lists across 8 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.
What curricula assign The Maze Runner?
The Maze Runner appears on reading lists for Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award, Charlotte Award, Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers, and 5 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Maze Runner banned in schools?
The Maze Runner has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 1 state (FL) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.
What themes does The Maze Runner explore?
Central themes in The Maze Runner include survival, memory, friendship.

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 7–12 — drawn from the book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 8 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
On state book-award lists in 8 states (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
Documented as challenged or removed in 1 state per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans — see the full banned & challenged books list.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-nominee, award-winner, book-club, read-aloud.

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