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King Midas

John W. Stewig

Cover of King Midas

King Midas

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

A Golden Tale

by John W. Stewig

Reading Level 2 7LE Ages 5-8 Heads Up

The text is written at a 2nd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

King Midas is the only king who can turn everything he touches into gold—and that sounds amazing, right? But when his wish becomes real, he discovers why not all that glitters is good. What will happen when even his favorite things start turning to gold?

Themes

MythologyGreedConsequencesFamilyLife Lessons

Quick Assessment

This modern retelling of the classic King Midas myth explores themes of greed, consequences, and the true value of what we hold dear. Appropriate for early readers aged 5 to 8, it presents important life lessons in an accessible and engaging way without intense content. The story gently introduces children to mythology while encouraging thoughtful reflection.

Why we rated King Midas 7LE

King Midas is written at a Level 2 reading level across 32 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 3.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, King Midas works for readers up to grade 4.0.

We rate King Midas as 7LE ("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, King Midas explores mythology, greed, consequences, family, and life lessons — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

  • Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
  • Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
  • Kids drawn to stories about mythology, greed, consequences.

Maybe not for

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

For Parents

Content Intensity

7LE — 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

1/10

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
2
Emotional Weight
4
Theme Richness
5
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

32 pages
ISBN
082341423X
Pages
32
Publisher
Holiday House
Published
1999
Type
Fiction

Genres

Midas (Legendary character)

Subjects

MidasMythology, GreekGreek Mythology