What grade level is Under the Surface?

Under the Surface is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 7–12. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.

What curricula assign Under the Surface?

Under the Surface appears on reading lists for Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is Under the Surface banned in schools?

Under the Surface 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.

What themes does Under the Surface explore?

Central themes in Under the Surface include survival, mystery, friendship. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

Under the Surface

Name: Under the Surface
Availability: InStock
Author: Diana Urban
ISBN: 9780593625101

by Diana Urban

Under the Surface by Diana Urban is assigned in US schools at grades 7–12. It appears across 1 curriculum reference 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 Under the Surface 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 7–12
Age range: Ages 13–18
First published: 2024
Genre: Mystery
ISBN-13: 9780593625101

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About this book

An epic survival-thriller in which four teenagers become lost in the Paris catacombs, where the dark hides far more than they feared. From Diana Urban; a 2025-2026 Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award nominee (grades 7-12).

Why widely assigned

This Mystery title, typically at grades 7–12. Written in the 2020s; pairs with curriculum units on survival and mystery; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

survival · mystery · friendship

Where this book is assigned

Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award

Similar grade-level books

See all books like Under the Surface→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Common questions

What grade level is Under the Surface?: Under the Surface is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 7–12. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
What curricula assign Under the Surface?: Under the Surface appears on reading lists for Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Under the Surface banned in schools?: Under the Surface 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.
What themes does Under the Surface explore?: Central themes in Under the Surface include survival, mystery, friendship. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.

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 7–12 — 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: 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: Tagged for: book-club.