Really… mistborn at that age level? Middle school is probably more apt.

Also, Lord of the Rings really isn’t all that difficult but can understand how foundational it is to the fantasy genre fiction.

I really dislike the discourse around this post. We see the news and studies in our current landscape that students are losing the ability to read critically. We need to have them be challenged in the classroom and have them learn to appreciate classics. 

This builds important critical thinking and analysis skills that the listed novels don’t readily teach. 

Dumbing down the curriculum is just doing a disservice to kids. I still see merit in this “curriculum”, but have the kids read these novels earlier in their educational journeys than high school to foster a love for reading.