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Emily Windsnap and the Ship of Lost Souls

Liz Kessler

Cover of Emily Windsnap and the Ship of Lost Souls

Emily Windsnap and the Ship of Lost Souls

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Liz Kessler

Reading Level 6 11LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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

Here's a secret: Emily Windsnap and Aaron have discovered a ghostly ship that vanishes and reappears at mysterious times. No one else can see it, and it's growing weaker with each glimpse. But that's only the beginning of their adventure into a world between life and death.

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fantasy novel follows Emily Windsnap as she encounters a mysterious ghost ship visible only at certain times. The story explores themes of bravery and friendship as Emily uses her unique mermaid abilities to navigate the legendary world of Atlantis. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book contains mild suspense and fantasy adventure elements without intense content.

Why we rated Emily Windsnap and the Ship of Lost Souls 11LE

Emily Windsnap and the Ship of Lost Souls is written at a Level 6 reading level across 289 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Emily Windsnap and the Ship of Lost Souls works for readers up to grade 8.0.

We rate Emily Windsnap and the Ship of Lost Souls as 11LE ("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, Emily Windsnap and the Ship of Lost Souls explores fantasy world-building, adventure, friendship, coming of age, and mermaids — 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, friendship.

Maybe not for

  • ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

11LE — Light — Emotional
Emotional
Light
Physical
Clear
Social
Clear
Thematic
Light

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

2/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

2/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
5
Emotional Weight
4
Theme Richness
5
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

289 pages
ISBN
9780763686499
Pages
289
Publisher
Candlewick Press
Published
2015
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

MermaidsIslandsShipsAtlantis