Cover of Uglies

Uglies

by Scott Westerfeld · Grades 9–12 · Dystopian Fiction

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld is on US reading lists at grades 9–12. It appears on 1 list: the Virginia Readers' Choice, across 1 state. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Ages 14–17 · Grades 9–12 · 432 pages. The button opens the paperback edition (ISBN 9781665940658). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state

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:Virginia Readers' Choice

This page shows where Uglies 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 9–12
Age range
Ages 14–17
Pages
432
Reading time
about 7h 55m (est.)
First published
2005
Genre
Dystopian Fiction
ISBN-13
9781665940658

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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Similar grade-level books

See all books like Uglies→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why it is assigned

This dystopian fiction title is typically read at grades 9–12. Written in the 2000s; pairs with curriculum units on teenage girls and science fiction; cited on the Virginia Readers' Choice.

Themes

teenage girls · science fiction · personal beauty · friendship

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is Uglies?
Uglies is listed for grades 9–12. It appears on 1 state book-award list across 1 state. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read Uglies?
It takes about 7h 55m to read Uglies (432 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 475 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Uglies?
Uglies appears on reading lists for Virginia Readers' Choice. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Uglies banned in schools?
Uglies 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. See the banned books list by state.
What themes does Uglies explore?
Central themes in Uglies include teenage girls, science fiction, personal beauty, 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 9–12 — drawn from the state book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
On state book-award lists in 1 state (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: book-club.

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