A dragon's guide to making perfect wishes
Laurence Yep
A dragon's guide to making perfect wishes
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Laurence Yep
Illustrated by GrandPré, Mary, illustrator
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
Did you know that wishes can come with tricky surprises? Winnie and her dragon Miss Drake travel back to the 1915 San Francisco World's Fair, where magical souvenirs start granting wishes—but that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fantasy novel follows Winnie and her pet dragon as they explore time travel and the consequences of wish-granting magic during the 1915 San Francisco World's Fair. Suitable for ages 9-12, it combines adventure with themes of responsibility and curiosity. Parents should be aware that the story includes magical elements and some mild peril.
Why we rated A dragon's guide to making perfect wishes 11LE
A dragon's guide to making perfect wishes is written at a Level 6 reading level across 231 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, A dragon's guide to making perfect wishes works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate A dragon's guide to making perfect wishes as 11LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, A dragon's guide to making perfect wishes explores magic, adventure, fantasy world-building, friendship, and time travel — 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 magic, adventure, fantasy world-building.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780385392365
- Pages
- 231
- Publisher
- Crown Books For Young Readers
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction