Cover of The Lie Tree

The Lie Tree

by Frances Hardinge

The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge is assigned in US schools at grades 4–9. It appears across 2 curriculum references, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where The Lie Tree 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 4–9
Pages
417
Reading time
about 7h 40m (est.)
First published
2015
Genre
Children's
ISBN-13
9781447264118
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About this book

Winner of the Costa Book of the Year. 'I can't think of anyone who would not love this story' – Matt Haig, author of The Midnight Library The Lie Tree is a wonderfully creepy and atmospheric gothic novel by Frances Hardinge, award-winning author of Cuckoo Song and Fly By Night. When Faith's father is found dead under mysterious circumstances, she stumbles upon a strange tree amongst his belongings. Faith, a gifted liar, is amazed to discover that the tree thrives on untruths - and delivers secrets to those who consume its fruit. Convinced that the tree holds the key to her father's murder, Faith begins to use its powers to try and get to the bottom of the mystery. But webs of lies are far easier made than untangled, and there are truths at the heart of this small island community that are

Why widely assigned

This Children's title, typically at grades 4–9. Written in the 2010s; cited across 2 curriculum frameworks.

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is The Lie Tree?
The Lie Tree is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 4–9. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
How long does it take to read The Lie Tree?
It takes about 7h 40m to read The Lie Tree (417 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 460 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Lie Tree?
The Lie Tree appears on reading lists for Andre Norton Award for Middle Grade & Young Adult Fiction, Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Lie Tree banned in schools?
The Lie Tree 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.

Why this book is on this list

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 4–9 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 2 curricula 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
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: read-aloud.