Their Eyes Were Watching God
by Zora Neale Hurston
Assigned across 2 curriculum lists · 3 states
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston is assigned in US schools at grades 10–12, with a Lexile measure of 1080L. It appears across 2 curriculum references and 3 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where Their Eyes Were Watching God is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
Audible trial: new members only. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.
- Lexile
- 1080L
- Grade range
- Grades 10–12
- Difficulty for grade
- Within the grade 9–10 band (1050–1335L)
- Age range
- Ages 15–18
- Pages
- 193
- Reading time
- about 3h 30m (est.)
- First published
- 1937
- Genre
- Literary Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780061120060
Reading difficulty: At 1080L, Their Eyes Were Watching God falls within the typical 1050–1335L text-complexity range for 10th grade (Common Core Appendix A) — a grade-appropriate reading challenge.
Reading below grade level? Kids who struggle with the print version often finish the assigned book by listening — try the audiobook free with a 30-day Audible trial. Affiliate link · trial for new members.
New to these terms? What is a Lexile level? · Reading levels by grade
More formats & details
Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook
As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you. Pricing, Prime, and trial terms shown on Amazon.
About this book
Janie Crawford, a Black woman in early 20th-century Florida, returns to her hometown and tells the story of her three marriages and her search for an independent life. Hurston's use of African American vernacular English and her portrayal of Janie's interior life were dismissed at publication and celebrated in later decades. Now a staple of AP Literature and 11th-grade American Literature courses.
Similar grade-level books
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee · 870L
The Great GatsbyF. Scott Fitzgerald · 1070L
Of Mice and MenJohn Steinbeck · 630L
Lord of the FliesWilliam Golding · 770L
See all books like Their Eyes Were Watching God→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Why widely assigned
This Literary Fiction title, reads at young-adult to upper-middle-grade complexity, typically at grades 10–12. Written in the 1930s; pairs with curriculum units on African American womanhood and marriage and autonomy; cited across 2 curriculum frameworks.
Themes
African American womanhood · marriage and autonomy · voice and silence · love · Black folk culture
Content notes
domestic violence · racial slurs (historical context) · death and grief
Common Sense Media recommends age 14+.
Where this book is assigned
AP English Literature & Composition
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
- recommended·11th gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 11-CCR exemplar
- recommended·11th grade · Georgiasource: Georgia Standards of Excellence grade 11 aligned reading
- recommended·11th grade · Illinoissource: Illinois Learning Standards grade 11 aligned reading
- recommended·12th gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 11-CCR story exemplar
Was this page helpful?
Common questions
- What grade level is Their Eyes Were Watching God?
- Their Eyes Were Watching God is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 10–12, with a Lexile measure of 1080L. 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 Their Eyes Were Watching God?
- Their Eyes Were Watching God has a Lexile measure of 1080L 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 Their Eyes Were Watching God?
- It takes about 3h 30m to read Their Eyes Were Watching God (193 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 210 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- Is Their Eyes Were Watching God hard to read for 10th grade?
- At 1080L, Their Eyes Were Watching God falls within the typical 1050–1335L text-complexity range for 10th 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 Their Eyes Were Watching God?
- Their Eyes Were Watching God 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
How we classifyHide
Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.
- Lexile measure
- 1080L — 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 3 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (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: summer.