Bones of Faerie
Janni Lee Simner
Bones of Faerie
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Janni Lee Simner
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Magic left the world changed—trees that move and dandelions with thorns are just the start. Liza’s family fears the ancient Faerie war, but when her sister is born with magical hair and her own mysterious powers awaken, everything she believed shatters. What if the secrets she uncovers could bring peace or doom to both humans and Faerie?
Quick Assessment
Set in a post-war world where magic has scarred the land, this young adult novel follows 15-year-old Liza as she confronts family secrets and her own faerie abilities. The story explores themes of fear, survival, and reconciliation between two worlds, suitable for teens ages 13 and up. Parents should note the presence of magical peril and complex family dynamics.
Why we rated Bones of Faerie 11ME
Bones of Faerie is written at a Level 6 reading level across 256 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Bones of Faerie works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Bones of Faerie as 11ME ("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, Bones of Faerie 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 13+ 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 fantasy world-building, coming of age, 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
11ME — 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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781742750651
- Pages
- 256
- Publisher
- Random House Australia
- Published
- 2010
- Type
- Fiction