Beasts We Bury
D. L. Taylor
Beasts We Bury
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by D. L. Taylor
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 you had a magic so powerful it could summon an army, but only if you made a terrible choice first? Mance, heir to a mysterious kingdom, must face dark secrets and impossible decisions, while Silver, a clever thief, has plans that could change everything. Will they break free from a world built on blood and lies?
Quick Assessment
Set in a fantasy realm filled with dark magic, this middle-grade novel follows two teens confronting dangerous powers and moral dilemmas. The story explores themes of sacrifice, manipulation, and rebellion, with some intense moments of magical violence and ethical complexity. Recommended for readers 9-12 who can handle mature fantasy themes and nuanced character choices.
Why we rated Beasts We Bury 12ME
Beasts We Bury is written at a Level 7 reading level across 368 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Beasts We Bury works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Beasts We Bury as 12ME ("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, thematic difficulty — 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, Beasts We Bury explores fantasy world-building, adventure, coming of age, and friendship — 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, adventure, coming of age.
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
12ME — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781035052868
- Pages
- 368
- Publisher
- First Ink
- Published
- 2025
- Type
- Fiction