Land keep
J. Scott Savage
Land keep
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by J. Scott Savage
The text is written at a 7th 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
The sharp, salty breeze bites at Marcus’s skin as waves crash relentlessly around him. Water isn’t just around him—it’s part of him, wild and powerful, yet it brings aching pain he can’t control. With every splash, he feels the heavy weight of his quest and the hope that his friends might be the key to saving Farworld, but the darkness is closing in.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Land Keep follows Marcus, a young boy with the magical ability to control water, as he embarks on a quest to unite elemental forces and defeat an evil threat called the Dark Circle. The story explores themes of courage, friendship, and self-discovery, with some moments of physical struggle and emotional doubt that are appropriate for middle-grade readers ages 9-12. The book contains fantasy violence and addresses challenges related to disability in a sensitive manner.
Why we rated Land keep 12ME
Land keep is written at a Level 7 reading level across 374 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Land keep works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Land keep as 12ME ("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, Land keep explores magic, adventure, friendship, teenagers with disabilities, and foundlings — 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 magic, adventure, friendship.
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
12ME — 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
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781609073312
- Pages
- 374
- Publisher
- Farworld
- Published
- 2013
- Type
- Fiction