The Odyssey
by Homer
The Odyssey by Homer is assigned in US schools at grades 9–12, with a Lexile measure of 1130L. 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 Odyssey is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Lexile
- 1130L
- Grade range
- Grades 9–12
- Difficulty for grade
- Within the grade 9–10 band (1050–1335L)
- Age range
- Ages 14–18
- Pages
- 541
- Reading time
- about 9h 55m (est.)
- First published
- -700
- Genre
- Epic Poetry
- ISBN-13
- 9780140268867
Reading difficulty: At 1130L, The Odyssey falls within the typical 1050–1335L text-complexity range for 9th grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge.
Where to find this book
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About this book
Homer's epic follows Odysseus, king of Ithaca, during his decade-long return from the Trojan War as he faces monsters, gods, and his own patience. Teachers typically assign a modern translation (Fagles, Wilson, Fitzgerald) in 9th- or 10th-grade World Literature. A standard Common Core grade 9-10 exemplar.
Why widely assigned
This Epic Poetry title, reads at high-school literary complexity, typically at grades 9–12. Written in the -700s; pairs with curriculum units on heroism and homecoming; cited across 2 curriculum frameworks.
Themes
heroism · homecoming · hospitality and xenia · cunning vs force · loyalty · divine intervention
Content notes
battle violence · graphic killing · sexual content (mild)
Common Sense Media recommends age 13+.
Where this book is assigned
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
IB Diploma Programme — English A: Literature
Similar grade-level books
The OutsidersS.E. Hinton · 750L
Lord of the FliesWilliam Golding · 770L
The Great GatsbyF. Scott Fitzgerald · 1070L
1984George Orwell · 1090L
See all books like The Odyssey→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Common questions
- What grade level is The Odyssey?
- The Odyssey is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–12, with a Lexile measure of 1130L. 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 Odyssey?
- The Odyssey has a Lexile measure of 1130L 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 Odyssey?
- It takes about 9h 55m to read The Odyssey (541 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 595 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is The Odyssey hard to read for 9th grade?
- At 1130L, The Odyssey falls within the typical 1050–1335L text-complexity range for 9th grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.
- What curricula assign The Odyssey?
- The Odyssey appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA), IB Diploma Programme — English A: Literature. 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
- 1130L — 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 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
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- No seasonal or program-specific tags on this book.