Cover of The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars

by John Green

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Among the most widely assigned — 12 curriculum lists · 10 states

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:Wisconsin Golden Archer AwardMaryland Black-Eyed Susan Book AwardCalifornia Young Reader MedalVirginia Readers' Choice+7 more

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is assigned in US schools at grades 9–12, with a Lexile measure of 850L. It appears across 12 curriculum references and 10 states, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where The Fault in Our Stars is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Lexile
850L
Grade range
Grades 9–12
Difficulty for grade
Below the grade 9–10 band (1050–1335L)
Age range
Ages 14–18
Pages
313
Reading time
about 5h 45m (est.)
First published
2012
Genre
Young Adult Fiction
ISBN-13
9780142424179

Reading difficulty: At 850L, The Fault in Our Stars reads below the typical 1050–1335L text-complexity range for 9th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge.

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New to these terms? What is a Lexile level? · Reading levels by grade

More formats & details

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About this book

Sixteen-year-old Hazel Grace Lancaster, who lives with terminal thyroid cancer, meets Augustus Waters at a support group, and the two fall into a sharp, funny, and unflinching romance. John Green's novel follows their search for meaning and a favorite author across a brief, intense relationship shadowed by illness. A bestseller frequently used in grades 9-12 and book-club settings, it pairs an accessible voice with mature reflection on mortality and grief.

Similar grade-level books

See all books like The Fault in Our Stars→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Young Adult Fiction title, reads at middle-grade prose complexity, typically at grades 9–12. Written in the 2010s; pairs with curriculum units on mortality and grief; cited across 12 curriculum frameworks.

Themes

mortality · grief · love · coming of age

Content notes

terminal illness · death · mature themes

Where this book is assigned

Show 6 more awards & assignments

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Common questions

What grade level is The Fault in Our Stars?
The Fault in Our Stars is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–12, with a Lexile measure of 850L. It appears on 12 school reading lists across 10 states, from grade 4 to grade 12. Exact placement varies by school and district.
What is the Lexile level of The Fault in Our Stars?
The Fault in Our Stars has a Lexile measure of 850L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
How long does it take to read The Fault in Our Stars?
It takes about 5h 45m to read The Fault in Our Stars (313 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 345 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
Is The Fault in Our Stars hard to read for 9th grade?
At 850L, The Fault in Our Stars reads below the typical 1050–1335L text-complexity range for 9th grade (Common Core Appendix A). It is an accessible read for the grade — often assigned for its themes and discussion value rather than for reading challenge. Lexile measures text complexity, not thematic maturity — check the content notes for age-appropriateness separately.
What curricula assign The Fault in Our Stars?
The Fault in Our Stars appears on reading lists for Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award, California Young Reader Medal, Common Core State Standards (ELA), and 9 others. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

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
850L — sourced from MetaMetrics’ Lexile Hub.
Grade band
Grades 9–12 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 12 curricula on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Cited in 10 states ELA frameworks or DOE list (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
Documented as challenged or removed in 3 states 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, summer.

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