A distant soil.
Colleen Doran
A distant soil.
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The ascendant
by Colleen Doran
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.
About This Book
Liana isn’t just a princess—she’s the last hope of an alien race fighting to save their world. As villains launch their fiercest attacks, the fate of entire worlds hangs in the balance. What will it take for her to claim the throne and protect everything she loves?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This graphic novel follows Liana, a young heroine caught in a cosmic battle for control of the Avatars’ throne. With its blend of fantasy and science fiction, the story presents themes of leadership, courage, and conflict appropriate for middle-grade readers. Parents should note the presence of battles and tense moments typical of an interplanetary war setting.
Why we rated A distant soil. 11ME
A distant soil. is written at a Level 6 reading level across 240 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, A distant soil. works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate A distant soil. as 11ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, A distant soil. explores fantasy, science & nature, adventure, and comics & graphic novels — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about fantasy, science & nature, adventure.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
Similar Books
Based on content and theme analysis
Dust lands
Moira Young
Dust lands
Moira Young
The Cobalt Prince
Mark Siegel
The Cobalt Prince
Mark Siegel
Colleen and the Leprechaun
Ellen Forrest
Colleen and the Leprechaun
Ellen Forrest
The last girl on Earth
Alexandra Blogier
The last girl on Earth
Alexandra Blogier
Kingdom of Dust
Lisa Stringfellow
Kingdom of Dust
Lisa Stringfellow
Earthseed
Pamela Sargent
Earthseed
Pamela Sargent
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781582400181
- Pages
- 240
- Publisher
- Image Comics
- Published
- 1998
- Type
- Fiction