A touch of gold
Annie Sullivan
A touch of gold
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Annie Sullivan
The text is written at a 7th 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
Kora is the only princess who can turn herself to gold — and that’s both her greatest power and her biggest curse. After ten years trapped in shining silence, she must break free to save her kingdom from ruin. What will she risk to undo her father’s greed and reclaim her destiny?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fantasy retells the story of King Midas’s daughter, Kora, who was turned to gold by her father’s greed. Ten years later, she embarks on a challenging journey to save her kingdom while confronting her own magical curse. Appropriate for ages 9-12, the story explores themes of family, consequences, and bravery with mild fantasy peril.
Why we rated A touch of gold 12LE
A touch of gold is written at a Level 7 reading level across 313 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, A touch of gold works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate A touch of gold as 12LE ("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 touch of gold explores fantasy world-building, coming of age, family, and adventure — 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 world-building, coming of age, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LE — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780310766353
- Pages
- 313
- Publisher
- Blink
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction