Coyote Moon
Martin Booth
Coyote Moon
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Martin Booth
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
Daniel gallops out of the tangled Texas brush, dust swirling behind his horse. He’s just found shelter at Dark Creek ranch, but when Matt rides off to fight in the war, Daniel, Trinity, and two trusty cowhands face a huge challenge: moving 50 cattle across 680 miles of wild land. Can they keep the herd safe and reach Kansas before trouble catches up?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade historical fiction follows 12-year-old Daniel as he navigates the challenges of a cattle drive during the Civil War era. Set against the backdrop of the western frontier, the story explores themes of responsibility, courage, and friendship. Suitable for ages 9-12, it contains mild peril related to the journey and historical conflict, but no graphic content.
Why we rated Coyote Moon 11LP
Coyote Moon is written at a Level 6 reading level across 209 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Coyote Moon works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Coyote Moon as 11LP ("Light — Physical") 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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Peril, Historical Conflict.
Thematically, Coyote Moon explores westerns, adventure, friendship, coming of age, and historical — 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 westerns, adventure, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LP — Light — PhysicalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Content Flags
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
- 9780552550017
- Pages
- 209
- Publisher
- Corgi
- Published
- July 5, 2005
- Type
- Fiction