What reading level is Marisol?

Marisol by Gary Soto is at a Level 3-4 reading level (Lexile 690L). Recommended for Lower Grades readers (Ages 5-8).

What age is Marisol appropriate for?

Marisol is recommended for Ages 5-8. HootRating: 8LE (Light — Emotional).

What genre is Marisol?

Marisol is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does Marisol have any content warnings?

Marisol has a HootRating of 8LE (Light — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Marisol?

Marisol by Gary Soto is 147 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Marisol

Gary Soto

Marisol

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

Marisol. Book 1

by Gary Soto

Reading Level 3-4 8LE Ages 5-8 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.

Buy on Amazon Listen on Audible

We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.

About This Book

What happens when your whole world starts to move — but your dreams want to stay put? Marisol loves to dance, and now she’s facing a big change: her family is moving away. Can she find a way to keep dancing even when everything else feels different?

Themes

Friendship Family Coming of AgeDanceMulticultural

Quick Assessment

Marisol is a story about a young girl who must navigate the challenges of relocating while holding onto her passion for dance. Suitable for early readers aged 5-8, this book explores themes of friendship, change, and perseverance in a relatable way. Parents should note the gentle treatment of family transition without any intense content.

Why we rated Marisol 8LE

Marisol is written at a Level 3-4 reading level with a Lexile measure of 690L across 147 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 4.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Marisol works for readers up to grade 5.5.

We rate Marisol as 8LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.

Thematically, Marisol explores friendship, family, coming of age, dance, and multicultural — 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 friendship, family, coming of age.