Longbow girl

Name: Longbow girl
Author: Linda Davies
ISBN: 9780545853453

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Linda Davies

Reading Level 4-5 LE · Mild · Emotional 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. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

The crisp snap of bowstring fills the cool Welsh air as Merry Owen steadies her arrow. Beneath the shadow of the Black Castle, the earth smells of history and secrets waiting to be uncovered. When a buried chest reveals an ancient Welsh text, Merry’s heart races—not just for treasure, but for a journey that will change everything.

Themes

AdventureArcheryFriendship HistoricalTime Travel

Quick Assessment

Set in Wales, this middle-grade adventure follows sixteen-year-old Merry Owen, a skilled archer determined to save her family farm. The discovery of an ancient text leads Merry and her friend into a thrilling time-travel adventure that blends history and friendship. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story explores themes of bravery, resourcefulness, and the importance of heritage.

Why we rated Longbow girl LE (Mild)

Longbow girl is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 324 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage Longbow girl on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Longbow girl as LE (Mild, mostly 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, Longbow girl explores adventure, archery, friendship, historical, and time travel — 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.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, archery, friendship.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

LE · Mild · Emotional

Emotional

Mild ←

Physical

Mild

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Mild

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: high

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?