A slippery land
Rick Conti
A slippery land
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Rick Conti
The text is written at a 7th 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.
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About This Book
What if everything you knew was shaken to pieces in just one moment? Imagine a girl named Fania whose dreams of going to school are shattered when a huge earthquake hits her home in Haiti. Now, she must find courage and hope while facing the challenges of a new, uncertain life.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows 15-year-old Fania from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as she navigates the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake. The story explores themes of poverty, resilience, and survival, detailing Fania's journey through an orphanage, life on the streets, and single motherhood. Suitable for ages 9-12, it offers a thoughtful look at difficult topics like disaster impact and poverty, with a hopeful message about perseverance.
Why we rated A slippery land 12MS
A slippery land is written at a Level 7 reading level across 302 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, A slippery land works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate A slippery land as 12MS ("Moderate — Social") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Poverty, Pregnancy, Orphanhood, Harsh Living Conditions.
Thematically, A slippery land explores poverty, orphanhood, earthquake, survival, and coming of age — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about poverty, orphanhood, earthquake.
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
12MS — Moderate — SocialReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781522982708
- Pages
- 302
- Publisher
- Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction