
Divergent
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Among the most widely assigned — 9 curriculum lists · 8 states
#94 most-assigned book in America — on school reading lists in 4 states (2026-07-13 study of 13,258 assignments).
Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).
Divergent by Veronica Roth is assigned in US schools at grades 8–12. It appears across 9 curriculum references and 8 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.
This page shows where Divergent is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.
New to these terms? Reading levels by grade
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Part of a series — read in order
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Why widely assigned
This Dystopian title, typically at grades 8–12. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on identity and choice; cited across 9 curriculum frameworks.
Where this book is assigned
California Young Reader Medal
Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers
- recommended·9th grade · Georgiasource: Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers — official past winners/nominees roll (Georgia Library Media Association)
- recommended·10th grade · Georgiasource: Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers — official past winners/nominees roll (Georgia Library Media Association)
- recommended·11th grade · Georgiasource: Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers — official past winners/nominees roll (Georgia Library Media Association)
- recommended·12th grade · Georgiasource: Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers — official past winners/nominees roll (Georgia Library Media Association)
Great Lakes Great Books Award
Kentucky Bluegrass Award
- recommended·9th grade · Kentuckysource: Kentucky Association of School Librarians — Kentucky Bluegrass Award Winner's Circle, 2013 winner (9-12)
- recommended·10th grade · Kentuckysource: Kentucky Association of School Librarians — Kentucky Bluegrass Award Winner's Circle, 2013 winner (9-12)
- recommended·11th grade · Kentuckysource: Kentucky Association of School Librarians — Kentucky Bluegrass Award Winner's Circle, 2013 winner (9-12)
- recommended·12th grade · Kentuckysource: Kentucky Association of School Librarians — Kentucky Bluegrass Award Winner's Circle, 2013 winner (9-12)
Land of Enchantment Book Award
- recommended·8th grade · New Mexicosource: New Mexico State Library — Land of Enchantment Book Award winner/nominee lists (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1981)
- recommended·9th grade · New Mexicosource: New Mexico State Library — Land of Enchantment Book Award winner/nominee lists (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1981)
- recommended·10th grade · New Mexicosource: New Mexico State Library — Land of Enchantment Book Award winner/nominee lists (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1981)
- recommended·11th grade · New Mexicosource: New Mexico State Library — Land of Enchantment Book Award winner/nominee lists (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1981)
- recommended·12th grade · New Mexicosource: New Mexico State Library — Land of Enchantment Book Award winner/nominee lists (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1981)
Louisiana Teen Readers' Choice Award (LTRC)
- recommended·9th grade · Louisianasource: State Library of Louisiana / Louisiana Center for the Book — Archives: Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards (official LibGuides archive), grades 9-12 division — 2013-2014 winner
- recommended·10th grade · Louisianasource: State Library of Louisiana / Louisiana Center for the Book — Archives: Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards (official LibGuides archive), grades 9-12 division — 2013-2014 winner
- recommended·11th grade · Louisianasource: State Library of Louisiana / Louisiana Center for the Book — Archives: Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards (official LibGuides archive), grades 9-12 division — 2013-2014 winner
- recommended·12th grade · Louisianasource: State Library of Louisiana / Louisiana Center for the Book — Archives: Louisiana Readers' Choice Awards (official LibGuides archive), grades 9-12 division — 2013-2014 winner
Show 3 more awards & assignmentsShow fewer
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award
- recommended·9th grade · Marylandsource: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, 2013 winner (High School)
- recommended·10th grade · Marylandsource: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, 2013 winner (High School)
- recommended·11th grade · Marylandsource: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, 2013 winner (High School)
- recommended·12th grade · Marylandsource: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, 2013 winner (High School)
Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA)
- recommended·8th grade · Oregonsource: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)
- recommended·9th grade · Oregonsource: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)
- recommended·10th grade · Oregonsource: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)
- recommended·11th grade · Oregonsource: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)
- recommended·12th grade · Oregonsource: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)
Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award
- recommended·8th gradesource: Pacific Northwest Library Association — Young Reader's Choice Award winners (1940-2022), via Wikipedia — 2014 Winner
- recommended·9th gradesource: Pacific Northwest Library Association — Young Reader's Choice Award winners (1940-2022), via Wikipedia — 2014 Winner
- recommended·10th gradesource: Pacific Northwest Library Association — Young Reader's Choice Award winners (1940-2022), via Wikipedia — 2014 Winner
- recommended·11th gradesource: Pacific Northwest Library Association — Young Reader's Choice Award winners (1940-2022), via Wikipedia — 2014 Winner
- recommended·12th gradesource: Pacific Northwest Library Association — Young Reader's Choice Award winners (1940-2022), via Wikipedia — 2014 Winner
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Common questions
- What grade level is Divergent?
- Divergent is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 8–12. It appears on 9 school reading lists across 8 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.
- What curricula assign Divergent?
- Divergent appears on reading lists for California Young Reader Medal, Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers, Great Lakes Great Books Award, and 6 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Divergent banned in schools?
- Divergent has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 1 state (FL) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.
- What themes does Divergent explore?
- Central themes in Divergent include identity, choice, courage.
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 8–12 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
- Curriculum alignment
- Cited in 9 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
- State-level evidence
- Cited in 8 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: award-winner, book-club, read-aloud.