Cover of The Serpent King

The Serpent King

by Jeff Zentner

The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner is assigned in US schools at grades 9–12. 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 Serpent King 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 9–12
Pages
326
Reading time
about 6 hours (est.)
First published
2017
Genre
Young Adult
ISBN-13
9780553524048
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About this book

Named to ten BEST OF THE YEAR lists and selected as a William C. Morris Award Winner,The Serpent King is the critically acclaimed, much-beloved story of three teens who find themselves--and each other--while on the cusp of graduating from high school with hopes of leaving their small-town behind. Perfect for fans of John Green's Turtles All the Way Down. "Move over, John Green; Zentner is coming for you." —The New York Public Library “Will fill the infinite space that was left in your chest after you finished The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” —BookRiot.com Dill isn't the most popular kid at his rural Tennessee high school. After his father fell from grace in a public scandal that reverberated throughout their small town, Dill became a target. Fortunately, his two fellow misfits and best fr

Why widely assigned

This Young Adult title, typically at grades 9–12. Written in the 2010s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is The Serpent King?
The Serpent King is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–12. 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 Serpent King?
It takes about 6 hours to read The Serpent King (326 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 360 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign The Serpent King?
The Serpent King appears on reading lists for William C. Morris YA Debut Award. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is The Serpent King banned in schools?
The Serpent King 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 9–12 — 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
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: read-aloud.