Dreamland
Robert L. Anderson
Dreamland
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Robert L. Anderson
The text is written at a 7th 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
I have a secret: Dea Donahue can travel through other people’s dreams, but she must never interfere or be seen. Everything changes when Connor arrives and starts to break down her carefully built walls. But breaking the rules might mean losing the line between dreams and reality—and that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Dreamland follows Dea, a girl with the extraordinary ability to walk through others' dreams, who must follow strict rules to keep herself and her family safe. When a new boy arrives, Dea faces difficult choices that blur the line between dreams and reality. Suitable for ages 9-12, this middle-grade novel explores themes of trust, secrecy, and supernatural adventure with minimal content concerns.
Why we rated Dreamland 12LE
Dreamland is written at a Level 7 reading level across 336 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Dreamland works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Dreamland as 12LE ("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, Dreamland explores supernatural, friendship, coming of age, and adventure — 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 supernatural, friendship, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LE — 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
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781473621015
- Pages
- 336
- Publisher
- Hodder & Stoughton
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction