The White Darkness
by Geraldine McCaughrean
The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean is assigned in US schools at grades 9–12. It appears across 1 curriculum reference, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where The White Darkness is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
- Grade range
- Grades 9–12
- First published
- 2006
- ISBN-13
- 9780192726186
Where to find this book
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About this book
Captain Titus Oates, hero of the Antarctic, has been dead for nearly a century. But not in Sym's head. In there, he is her constant companion, her soulmate, her adviser. It is as if he walked out of the Polar blizzard and into her mind. In fact, if it were not for Titus, life might be as bleak a place as the Antarctic wilderness. When she is taken on a mystery expedition by her eccentric uncle Victor, Sym can't believe her luck. Destination Antarctica-the very place she's always wanted to visit. But Victor has other plans, more sinister than Sym could possibly imagine. Stranded in the most isolated part of the world with her trust in someone she comes to realize is a madman, she must find a way to avoid a gruesome fate. But what should a teenage girl do? Could it be that Titus, the one who
Where this book is assigned
Michael L. Printz Award
- recommended·9th gradesource: Michael L. Printz Award winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2008 Printz Award
- recommended·10th gradesource: Michael L. Printz Award winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2008 Printz Award
- recommended·11th gradesource: Michael L. Printz Award winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2008 Printz Award
- recommended·12th gradesource: Michael L. Printz Award winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2008 Printz Award
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Common questions
- What grade level is The White Darkness?
- The White Darkness is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–12. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What curricula assign The White Darkness?
- The White Darkness appears on reading lists for Michael L. Printz Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is The White Darkness banned in schools?
- The White Darkness does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
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
- Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
- Grade band
- Grades 9–12 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 1 curriculum 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
- No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
- Seasonal / contextual tags
- Tagged for: award-winner.