Alice on Board
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Alice on Board
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
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
What happens when your whole world starts to change just as you set sail on the open sea? Alice is about to spend her summer on a Chesapeake Bay cruise ship with her best friends, but the tides of friendship and change are stronger than she expected. Can she navigate the storms ahead before college calls?
Quick Assessment
Alice on Board follows a middle-grade protagonist spending her last summer before college working on a Chesapeake Bay cruise ship. The story explores themes of friendship, change, and personal growth in a relatable and age-appropriate way for readers aged 9 to 12. Parents should note the book handles transition and emotional challenges gently, without intense conflict or mature content.
Why we rated Alice on Board 11LE
Alice on Board is written at a Level 6 reading level across 290 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Alice on Board works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Alice on Board 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, Alice on Board explores friendship, coming of age, adventure, and family — 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 friendship, coming of age, adventure.
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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781442461604
- Pages
- 290
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- 2012
- Type
- Fiction