Goodbye to Atlantis
Troon Harrison
Goodbye to Atlantis
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Troon Harrison
The text is written at a 6th 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
I have a secret: Stella's summer in England isn't what she imagined at all. Instead of fun beach parties and castles, she’s stuck with a cousin who barely speaks to her and a mysterious family full of secrets. But that's only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Goodbye to Atlantis follows Stella, a young girl spending a summer in England far from her expectations. As she navigates family tensions and uncovers hidden dangers, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and healing from past loss. Suitable for ages 9-12, this middle-grade novel explores themes of family, identity, and resilience with moderate emotional depth.
Why we rated Goodbye to Atlantis 11ME
Goodbye to Atlantis is written at a Level 6 reading level across 231 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Goodbye to Atlantis works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Goodbye to Atlantis 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 — 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, Goodbye to Atlantis explores family, coming of age, mystery, fantasy, and science & nature — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, coming of age, mystery.
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
- 9780773762299
- Pages
- 231
- Publisher
- Fitzhenry and Whiteside
- Published
- October 1, 2001
- Type
- Fiction