Extraordinary Colors of Auden Dare
Zillah Bethell
Extraordinary Colors of Auden Dare
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Zillah Bethell
The text is written at a 7th 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
The dry crunch of gravel underfoot and the sharp scent of dust fill the air in a world where water is precious and colors are hard to see. Auden Dare, who can't see colors the way others do, finds a mysterious robot named Paragon after his uncle's sudden death. Together with his friend Vivi, they uncover secrets that could change everything—and face dangers that test their courage.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in a near-future England where water is rationed, this middle-grade novel follows Auden, a colorblind boy, and his friend Vivi as they unravel the mystery behind a robot named Paragon left by Auden's late uncle. The story explores themes of friendship, loss, and environmental scarcity with moderate suspense and some peril, suitable for readers aged 9-12. Parents should note the presence of mild tension involving danger and mystery.
Why we rated Extraordinary Colors of Auden Dare 12ME
Extraordinary Colors of Auden Dare is written at a Level 7 reading level across 301 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Extraordinary Colors of Auden Dare works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Extraordinary Colors of Auden Dare as 12ME ("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, 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, Extraordinary Colors of Auden Dare explores friendship, coming of age, science & nature, adventure, and robots — 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 friendship, coming of age, science & nature.
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
12ME — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781250094056
- Pages
- 301
- Publisher
- Macmillan + ORM
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction