What grade level is The Underground Railroad?

The Underground Railroad is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 11–12. It appears on 1 school reading list. Exact placement varies by school and district.

How long does it take to read The Underground Railroad?

It takes about 6h 55m to read The Underground Railroad (378 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 415 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.

What curricula assign The Underground Railroad?

The Underground Railroad appears on reading lists for Cambridge AS & A-Level English Literature (9695). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.

Is The Underground Railroad banned in schools?

The Underground Railroad has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 2 states (IA, TX) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.

What themes does The Underground Railroad explore?

Central themes in The Underground Railroad include history, underground railroad, fugitive slaves, historical fiction.

The Underground Railroad

Name: The Underground Railroad
Availability: InStock
Author: Colson Whitehead
ISBN: 9780708898376

by Colson Whitehead

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Assigned across 1 curriculum list

Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead is assigned in US schools at grades 11–12. It appears across 1 curriculum reference, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where The Underground Railroad 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 11–12
Age range: Ages 16–17
Pages: 378
Reading time: about 6h 55m (est.)
First published: 2000
Genre: Historical Fiction
ISBN-13: 9780708898376

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More formats & details

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Similar grade-level books

See all books like The Underground Railroad→ — matched on theme + reading level.

Why widely assigned

This Historical Fiction title, typically at grades 11–12. Written in the 2000s; pairs with curriculum units on history and underground railroad; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Themes

history · underground railroad · fugitive slaves · historical fiction

Where this book is assigned

Cambridge AS & A-Level English Literature (9695)
- required·11th grade source: Prescribed set text for Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English (9695), Paper 2 Section A (Prose), for examination in 2027. Transcribed from the official Cambridge International syllabus (721410-2027-2028-syllabus.pdf). Set texts rotate
- required·12th grade source: Prescribed set text for Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English (9695), Paper 2 Section A (Prose), for examination in 2027. Transcribed from the official Cambridge International syllabus (721410-2027-2028-syllabus.pdf). Set texts rotate

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Common questions

What grade level is The Underground Railroad?: The Underground Railroad is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 11–12. It appears on 1 school reading list. Exact placement varies by school and district.
How long does it take to read The Underground Railroad?: It takes about 6h 55m to read The Underground Railroad (378 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 415 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Underground Railroad?: The Underground Railroad appears on reading lists for Cambridge AS & A-Level English Literature (9695). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Underground Railroad banned in schools?: The Underground Railroad has documented removals from at least one public-school district in 2 states (IA, TX) per PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. Policies vary by district.
What themes does The Underground Railroad explore?: Central themes in The Underground Railroad include history, underground railroad, fugitive slaves, historical fiction.

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 11–12 — 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: Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
Removal / banning records: Documented as challenged or removed in 2 states per PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans — see the full banned & challenged books list.
Seasonal / contextual tags: Tagged for: Paper 2 Section A (Prose).