Zen and the Art of Faking It
Assigned across 1 curriculum list · 1 state
Zen and the Art of Faking It by Jordan Sonnenblick is assigned in US schools at grades 2–8. 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 Zen and the Art of Faking It is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
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- Grade range
- Grades 2–8
- Age range
- Ages 7–13
- Pages
- 268
- Reading time
- about 4h 55m (est.)
- First published
- 2007
- Genre
- Realistic Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780439837071
More formats & details
Other formats on Amazon: Kindle · Audiobook
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About this book
When thirteen-year-old San Lee moves to a new town and school for the umpteenth time, he is looking for a way to stand out when his knowledge of Zen Buddhism, gained in his previous school, provides the answer--and the need to quickly become a convincing Zen master.
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See all books like Zen and the Art of Faking It→ — matched on theme + reading level.
Why widely assigned
This Realistic Fiction title, typically at grades 2–8. Written in the 2000s; pairs with curriculum units on asian americans and middle schools; cited across 1 curriculum framework.
Themes
asian americans · middle schools · zen buddhism · individuality
Where this book is assigned
Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association)
- recommended·2nd grade · Michigansource: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·3rd grade · Michigansource: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·4th grade · Michigansource: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·5th grade · Michigansource: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·6th grade · Michigansource: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·7th grade · Michigansource: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
- recommended·8th grade · Michigansource: Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) — Michigan's statewide children's-choice reading program (grades 2-82-34-): students read the annual nominees and vote for their favorite. Winner list verified from the award's published record.
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Common questions
- What grade level is Zen and the Art of Faking It?
- Zen and the Art of Faking It is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 2–8. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- How long does it take to read Zen and the Art of Faking It?
- It takes about 4h 55m to read Zen and the Art of Faking It (268 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 295 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
- What curricula assign Zen and the Art of Faking It?
- Zen and the Art of Faking It appears on reading lists for Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Zen and the Art of Faking It banned in schools?
- Zen and the Art of Faking It 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 Zen and the Art of Faking It explore?
- Central themes in Zen and the Art of Faking It include asian americans, middle schools, zen buddhism, individuality. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.
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
- Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
- Grade band
- Grades 2–8 — 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.