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Kanis the shadow hound

Adam Blade

Cover of Kanis the shadow hound

Kanis the shadow hound

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Adam Blade

Illustrated by Sims, Steve (Steve P.), 1980- illustrator

Reading Level 4-5 9LP Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 4th 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

Tom and Elenna sprint through the dark forest, shadows twisting around them. Suddenly, a monstrous shadow hound lunges from the darkness—its glowing eyes fixed on them. Can they defeat this terrifying beast before it’s too late?

Themes

AdventureFantasy World-BuildingHeroesMonstersWitches

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fantasy adventure follows Tom and Elenna as they face magical beasts and a wicked witch threatening their world. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story contains exciting battles and mild peril but no graphic content. Themes include bravery, friendship, and good versus evil, making it an engaging read for young fans of fantasy and adventure.

Why we rated Kanis the shadow hound 9LP

Kanis the shadow hound is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 131 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Kanis the shadow hound works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Kanis the shadow hound as 9LP ("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.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.

Thematically, Kanis the shadow hound explores adventure, fantasy world-building, heroes, monsters, and witches — 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 adventure, fantasy world-building, heroes.

Maybe not for

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

For Parents

Content Intensity

9LP — Light — Physical
Emotional
Light
Physical
Light
Social
Clear
Thematic
Clear

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

1/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

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

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Details

Book Length

131 pages
ISBN
9781408339947
Pages
131
Publisher
Orchard Books
Published
2015
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

MonstersWitchesElennaHeroesTomFantasy Fiction