# Books about identity assigned in US schools

**100** books in the US-school assigned-reading canon explore _identity_. Sourced from state ELA standards, AP/IB syllabi, and Common Core exemplar lists.

**Lexile range:** 360L–1080L
**Grade span:** K–12
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/theme/identity
**Wikipedia (entity):** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_(social_science)
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## Authors who explore identity

- [Jason Reynolds](https://readinglist.school/author/jason-reynolds) (2 books)
- [Jewell Parker Rhodes](https://readinglist.school/author/jewell-parker-rhodes) (2 books)
- [Sarah Weeks](https://readinglist.school/author/sarah-weeks) (2 books)
- [Alicia D. Williams](https://readinglist.school/author/alicia-d-williams)
- [Andrea Davis Pinkney](https://readinglist.school/author/andrea-davis-pinkney)
- [Angie Thomas](https://readinglist.school/author/angie-thomas)
- [Beverly Cleary](https://readinglist.school/author/beverly-cleary)
- [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://readinglist.school/author/christopher-paul-curtis)

## identity canon

- [A Doll's House](https://readinglist.school/book/a-dolls-house) by Henrik Ibsen _(Grades 11–12)_
- [A Royal Conundrum](https://readinglist.school/book/a-royal-conundrum) by Lisa Yee _(Grades 3–6)_
- [A Work in Progress](https://readinglist.school/book/a-work-in-progress) by Jarrett Lerner _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Alligator Sue](https://readinglist.school/book/alligator-sue) by Sharon Arms Doucet _(Grades 3–5)_
- [American Born Chinese](https://readinglist.school/book/american-born-chinese) by Gene Luen Yang _(530L · Grades 7–12)_
- [Among the Hidden](https://readinglist.school/book/among-the-hidden) by Margaret Peterson Haddix _(Grades 5–8)_
- [Anthem](https://readinglist.school/book/anthem) by Ayn Rand _(880L · Grades 8–12)_
- [Avalon High](https://readinglist.school/book/avalon-high) by Meg Cabot _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Beanie the Bansheenie](https://readinglist.school/book/beanie-the-bansheenie) by Eoin Colfer _(Grades 2–5)_
- [Because of You, John Lewis](https://readinglist.school/book/because-of-you-john-lewis) by Andrea Davis Pinkney _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Beloved](https://readinglist.school/book/beloved) by Toni Morrison _(870L · Grades 11–12)_
- [Black Boy](https://readinglist.school/book/black-boy) by Richard Wright _(950L · Grades 9–12)_
- [Black Brother, Black Brother](https://readinglist.school/book/black-brother-black-brother) by Jewell Parker Rhodes _(Grades 5–8)_
- [Blended](https://readinglist.school/book/blended) by Sharon M. Draper _(610L · Grades 3–7)_
- [Blubber](https://readinglist.school/book/blubber) by Judy Blume _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Boy 2.0](https://readinglist.school/book/boy-2-0) by Tracey Baptiste _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Brown Girl Dreaming](https://readinglist.school/book/brown-girl-dreaming) by Jacqueline Woodson _(990L · Grades 5–8)_
- [Bud, Not Buddy](https://readinglist.school/book/bud-not-buddy) by Christopher Paul Curtis _(950L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Buffalo Fluffalo](https://readinglist.school/book/buffalo-fluffalo) by Bess Kalb _(Grades K–2)_
- [Confessions of a Class Clown](https://readinglist.school/book/confessions-of-a-class-clown) by Arianne Costner _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Control Freaks](https://readinglist.school/book/control-freaks) by J.E. Thomas _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Dear Mr. Henshaw](https://readinglist.school/book/dear-mr-henshaw) by Beverly Cleary _(Grades 4–6)_
- [Divergent](https://readinglist.school/book/divergent) by Veronica Roth _(Grades 8–12)_
- [Dog Man](https://readinglist.school/book/dog-man) by Dav Pilkey _(390L · Grades 2–5)_
- [Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life](https://readinglist.school/book/dork-diaries-tales-from-a-not-so-fabulous-life) by Rachel Renée Russell _(890L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Doña Quixote: Rise of the Knight](https://readinglist.school/book/dona-quixote-rise-of-the-knight) by Rey Terciero _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Drama](https://readinglist.school/book/drama) by Raina Telgemeier _(Grades 5–9)_
- [Ender's Game](https://readinglist.school/book/enders-game) by Orson Scott Card _(780L · Grades 6–10)_
- [Everything We Never Had](https://readinglist.school/book/everything-we-never-had) by Randy Ribay _(Grades 7–12)_
- [Flowers for Algernon](https://readinglist.school/book/flowers-for-algernon) by Daniel Keyes _(910L · Grades 8–11)_
- [Genesis Begins Again](https://readinglist.school/book/genesis-begins-again) by Alicia D. Williams _(Grades 5–8)_
- [Ghost](https://readinglist.school/book/ghost) by Jason Reynolds _(730L · Grades 5–8)_
- [Ghost Boys](https://readinglist.school/book/ghost-boys) by Jewell Parker Rhodes _(360L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Good Different](https://readinglist.school/book/good-different) by Meg Eden Kuyatt _(Grades 6–9)_
- [Grounded](https://readinglist.school/book/grounded-airport) by Aisha Saeed, S.K. Ali, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow & Huda Al-Marashi _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Harriet the Spy](https://readinglist.school/book/harriet-the-spy) by Louise Fitzhugh _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone](https://readinglist.school/book/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone) by J.K. Rowling _(880L · Grades 4–7)_
- [How This Book Got Red](https://readinglist.school/book/how-this-book-got-red) by Margaret Chiu Greanias _(Grades K–2)_
- [I Am Malala (Young Readers Edition)](https://readinglist.school/book/i-am-malala-young-readers) by Malala Yousafzai _(830L · Grades 6–10)_
- [I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings](https://readinglist.school/book/i-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings) by Maya Angelou _(1070L · Grades 10–12)_
- [Invisible Isabel](https://readinglist.school/book/invisible-isabel) by Sally J. Pla _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Invisible Man](https://readinglist.school/book/invisible-man) by Ralph Ellison _(950L · Grades 11–12)_
- [Keeper of the Lost Cities](https://readinglist.school/book/keeper-of-the-lost-cities) by Shannon Messenger _(Grades 4–8)_
- [Life of Pi](https://readinglist.school/book/life-of-pi) by Yann Martel _(830L · Grades 9–12)_
- [Louder Than Hunger](https://readinglist.school/book/louder-than-hunger) by John Schu _(Grades 7–12)_
- [Max and the Midknights](https://readinglist.school/book/max-and-the-midknights) by Lincoln Peirce _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Merci Suárez Changes Gears](https://readinglist.school/book/merci-suarez-changes-gears) by Meg Medina _(700L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Millie Fleur's Poison Garden](https://readinglist.school/book/millie-fleurs-poison-garden) by Christy Mandin _(Grades K–3)_
- [Misfit Mansion](https://readinglist.school/book/misfit-mansion) by Kay Davault _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave](https://readinglist.school/book/narrative-of-the-life-of-frederick-douglass) by Frederick Douglass _(1080L · Grades 8–12)_
- [Never Thought I'd End Up Here](https://readinglist.school/book/never-thought-id-end-up-here) by Ann Liang _(Grades 7–12)_
- [Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy](https://readinglist.school/book/nic-blake-manifestor-prophecy) by Angie Thomas _(Grades 3–7)_
- [Now Let Me Fly: A Portrait of Eugene Bullard](https://readinglist.school/book/now-let-me-fly) by Ronald Wimberly _(Grades 9–12)_
- [Oedipus Rex](https://readinglist.school/book/oedipus-rex) by Sophocles _(Grades 9–12)_
- [Other Words for Home](https://readinglist.school/book/other-words-for-home) by Jasmine Warga _(930L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood](https://readinglist.school/book/persepolis) by Marjane Satrapi _(Grades 9–12)_
- [Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet](https://readinglist.school/book/planet-omar-accidental-trouble-magnet) by Zanib Mian _(820L · Grades 3–6)_
- [Pygmalion](https://readinglist.school/book/pygmalion) by George Bernard Shaw _(Grades 9–12)_
- [Restart](https://readinglist.school/book/restart) by Gordon Korman _(730L · Grades 5–8)_
- [Ruby Lost and Found](https://readinglist.school/book/ruby-lost-and-found) by Christina Li _(Grades 6–9)_
- [Save Me a Seat](https://readinglist.school/book/save-me-a-seat) by Sarah Weeks _(780L · Grades 4–7)_
- [Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl](https://readinglist.school/book/shinji-takahashi-and-the-mark-of-the-coatl) by Julie Kagawa _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Shut Up, This Is Serious](https://readinglist.school/book/shut-up-this-is-serious) by Carolina Ixta _(Grades 9–12)_
- [So B. It](https://readinglist.school/book/so-b-it) by Sarah Weeks _(Grades 5–8)_
- [Something Like Home](https://readinglist.school/book/something-like-home) by Andrea Beatriz Arango _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Speak](https://readinglist.school/book/speak) by Laurie Halse Anderson _(690L · Grades 8–10)_
- [Stand Up, Yumi Chung](https://readinglist.school/book/stand-up-yumi-chung) by Jessica Kim _(Grades 4–7)_
- [Stuntboy, In-Between Time](https://readinglist.school/book/stuntboy-in-between-time) by Jason Reynolds _(Grades 3–6)_
- [That's Not My Name](https://readinglist.school/book/thats-not-my-name) by Megan Lally _(Grades 9–12)_
- [The Awakening](https://readinglist.school/book/the-awakening) by Kate Chopin _(960L · Grades 11–12)_
- [The Catcher in the Rye](https://readinglist.school/book/the-catcher-in-the-rye) by J.D. Salinger _(790L · Grades 9–12)_
- [The Color Purple](https://readinglist.school/book/the-color-purple) by Alice Walker _(670L · Grades 9–12)_
- [The Crossover](https://readinglist.school/book/the-crossover) by Kwame Alexander _(750L · Grades 5–8)_
- [The Cybil War](https://readinglist.school/book/the-cybil-war) by Betsy Byars _(Grades 3–6)_
- [The False Prince](https://readinglist.school/book/the-false-prince) by Jennifer A. Nielsen _(Grades 5–9)_
- [The First State of Being](https://readinglist.school/book/the-first-state-of-being) by Erin Entrada Kelly _(Grades 6–8)_
- [The Forbidden Book](https://readinglist.school/book/the-forbidden-book) by Sacha Lamb _(Grades 7–12)_
- [The Graveyard Book](https://readinglist.school/book/the-graveyard-book) by Neil Gaiman _(820L · Grades 5–8)_
- [The Handmaid's Tale](https://readinglist.school/book/the-handmaids-tale) by Margaret Atwood _(750L · Grades 11–12)_
- [The House at the Edge of Magic](https://readinglist.school/book/the-house-at-the-edge-of-magic) by Amy Sparkes _(Grades 3–5)_
- [The House of the Scorpion](https://readinglist.school/book/the-house-of-the-scorpion) by Nancy Farmer _(Grades 7–10)_
- [The House on Mango Street](https://readinglist.school/book/the-house-on-mango-street) by Sandra Cisneros _(870L · Grades 7–10)_
- [The Joy Luck Club](https://readinglist.school/book/the-joy-luck-club) by Amy Tan _(930L · Grades 9–12)_
- [The Last Bloodcarver](https://readinglist.school/book/the-last-bloodcarver) by Vanessa Le _(Grades 7–8)_
- [The Last Hope in Hopetown](https://readinglist.school/book/the-last-hope-in-hopetown) by Maria Tureaud _(Grades 6–8)_
- [The Outsiders](https://readinglist.school/book/the-outsiders) by S.E. Hinton _(750L · Grades 7–9)_
- [The Partition Project](https://readinglist.school/book/the-partition-project) by Saadia Faruqi _(Grades 4–8)_
- [The Poet X](https://readinglist.school/book/the-poet-x) by Elizabeth Acevedo _(800L · Grades 8–12)_
- [The Reappearance of Rachel Price](https://readinglist.school/book/the-reappearance-of-rachel-price) by Holly Jackson _(Grades 7–12)_
- [The Silence That Binds Us](https://readinglist.school/book/the-silence-that-binds-us) by Joanna Ho _(Grades 9–12)_
- [The Westing Game](https://readinglist.school/book/the-westing-game) by Ellen Raskin _(750L · Grades 5–7)_
- [Time to Make Art](https://readinglist.school/book/time-to-make-art) by Jeff Mack _(Grades K–3)_
- [Twelfth Night](https://readinglist.school/book/twelfth-night) by William Shakespeare _(Grades 9–12)_
- [Unwind](https://readinglist.school/book/unwind) by Neal Shusterman _(Grades 8–12)_
- [Ursula Upside Down](https://readinglist.school/book/ursula-upside-down) by Corey R. Tabor _(Grades K–3)_
- [Walk Two Moons](https://readinglist.school/book/walk-two-moons) by Sharon Creech _(770L · Grades 5–7)_
- [Willa of the Wood](https://readinglist.school/book/willa-of-the-wood) by Robert Beatty _(Grades 4–7)_
- [You Are Here: Connecting Flights](https://readinglist.school/book/you-are-here-connecting-flights) by Ellen Oh _(Grades 3–6)_
- [You're So Amazing!](https://readinglist.school/book/youre-so-amazing) by James Catchpole _(Grades K–2)_
- [Yuna's Cardboard Castles](https://readinglist.school/book/yunas-cardboard-castles) by Marie Tang _(Grades K–2)_

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_Generated from primary-source citations indexed on ReadingList.school. JSON API: https://readinglist.school/api/theme/identity · HTML view: https://readinglist.school/theme/identity._