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Kingston and the Magician's Lost and Found

Rucker Moses

Cover of Kingston and the Magician's Lost and Found

Kingston and the Magician's Lost and Found

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Rucker Moses

Reading Level 7 12LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 7th 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

The scent of old velvet and faint sparkles fills the air as Kingston steps into the quiet streets of Echo City, where magic once danced in every corner. Now, the city feels hollow and silent, like a dream fading away. But with a mysterious box left behind by his missing father, Kingston feels a flicker of hope—could magic truly return? The answer might change everything.

Themes

Fantasy & MagicMysteryFamilyFriendshipAfrican American & Black

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fantasy follows twelve-year-old Kingston as he returns to Brooklyn's Echo City to uncover the mystery of his magician father's disappearance and bring magic back to a town that has lost its sparkle. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story blends elements of mystery, fantasy, and themes of family and resilience. Parents should note the book includes mild suspense and themes of loss but handles them with optimism and adventure.

Why we rated Kingston and the Magician's Lost and Found 12LE

Kingston and the Magician's Lost and Found is written at a Level 7 reading level across 304 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Kingston and the Magician's Lost and Found works for readers up to grade 9.0.

We rate Kingston and the Magician's Lost and Found as 12LE ("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, Kingston and the Magician's Lost and Found explores fantasy & magic, mystery, family, friendship, and african american & black — 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 fantasy & magic, mystery, family.

Maybe not for

  • ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
  • ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

12LE — 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

2/10

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
6
Emotional Weight
4
Theme Richness
5
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

304 pages
ISBN
9780525516880
Pages
304
Publisher
Penguin
Published
2022
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Fantasy & MagicPeople & PlacesUnited StatesAfrican American & BlackAction & Adventure