Keeper of the Sword
Karen Lenerville
Keeper of the Sword
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Quest for Home
by Karen Lenerville
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
What if holding a magical sword meant you could change the past—but at a cost? Jacob just wants to bring his best friend Alissa back home, but he’ll have to face pirates, grave robbers, and even convince his tricky cousin and her feisty cat to help. The sword holds incredible power, but can Jacob protect it from those who want it for themselves—and find out what home really means?
Quick Assessment
Keeper of the Sword is a middle-grade fantasy adventure that follows Jacob as he navigates time travel, friendship, and danger while trying to bring his friend back from the past. The story explores themes of courage, loyalty, and self-discovery, with some mild peril and fantasy violence appropriate for ages 9-12. Parents should note the presence of action sequences involving pirates and grave robbers, but the overall tone is adventurous and hopeful.
Why we rated Keeper of the Sword 9LE
Keeper of the Sword is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 178 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Keeper of the Sword works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Keeper of the Sword as 9LE ("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, Keeper of the Sword explores friendship, adventure, fantasy world-building, and coming of age — 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, adventure, fantasy world-building.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — 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
- 9781461037217
- Pages
- 178
- Publisher
- CreateSpace
- Published
- 2011
- Type
- Fiction