Blood in the Water
C. Alexander London
Blood in the Water
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by C. Alexander London
The text is written at a 6th 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 your best friend was a dolphin trained to find secret underwater missions? Cory McNab and Kaj dive into a dangerous search in mysterious North Korean waters. Can they find the lost spy sub before it's too late?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade adventure follows Cory McNab and his dolphin partner Kaj as they embark on a high-stakes Navy mission to recover a lost spy submersible near North Korea. The story features themes of teamwork, trust, and suspense, suitable for ages 9-12. Parents should note the presence of mild peril related to military and underwater operations.
Why we rated Blood in the Water 11MP
Blood in the Water is written at a Level 6 reading level across 224 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Blood in the Water works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Blood in the Water as 11MP ("Moderate — Physical") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from physical peril — 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, Blood in the Water explores adventure, friendship, family, and science & nature — 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 adventure, friendship, family.
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
11MP — Moderate — PhysicalReal 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
- 9781484436509
- Pages
- 224
- Publisher
- Scholastic, Incorporated
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction