Cover of Scythe

Scythe

by Neal Shusterman

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Among the most widely assigned — 9 curriculum lists · 9 states

#85 most-assigned book in America — on school reading lists in 5 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).

On reading-award lists:Volunteer State Book AwardOregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA)California Young Reader MedalNebraska Golden Sower Award+5 more

Scythe by Neal Shusterman is assigned in US schools at grades 7–12. It appears across 9 curriculum references and 9 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Scythe 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 12–17
First published
2016
Genre
Science Fiction
ISBN-13
9781442472426

New to these terms? Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

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Similar grade-level books

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

Why widely assigned

This Science Fiction title, typically at grades 7–12. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on mortality and power; cited across 9 curriculum frameworks.

Themes

mortality · power · ethics

Where this book is assigned

Show 3 more awards & assignments

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Common questions

What grade level is Scythe?
Scythe is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 7–12. It appears on 9 school reading lists across 9 states. Exact placement varies by school and district.
What curricula assign Scythe?
Scythe appears on reading lists for Battle of the Books (state reading programs), California Young Reader Medal, Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers, and 6 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Scythe banned in schools?
Scythe 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 Scythe explore?
Central themes in Scythe include mortality, power, ethics.

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 7–12 — 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 9 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: award-nominee, award-winner, book-club.

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