May (Daughters of the Sea #2)
Kathryn Lasky
May (Daughters of the Sea #2)
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Kathryn Lasky
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
The salty breeze whispers secrets of the deep, and the cool splash of ocean waves calls to May like a song only she can hear. Bound by rules and a suitor who won’t let go, May feels her heart tugged between land and sea. As she discovers her true self beneath the waves, everything she knows is about to change forever.
Quick Assessment
This young adult novel follows May, a girl torn between her restrictive life on land and the mysterious call of the sea, where she discovers her identity as a mermaid. The story explores themes of self-discovery, independence, and young love, with some tension and mild peril involving a jealous suitor. Suitable for teens, it contains no graphic content but includes emotional challenges typical of coming-of-age narratives.
Why we rated May (Daughters of the Sea #2) 12ME
May (Daughters of the Sea #2) is written at a Level 7 reading level across 338 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, May (Daughters of the Sea #2) works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate May (Daughters of the Sea #2) 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, May (Daughters of the Sea #2) explores coming of age, family, fantasy world-building, romance, and adventure — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about coming of age, family, fantasy world-building.
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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780545332453
- Pages
- 338
- Publisher
- Scholastic Inc.
- Published
- 2011
- Type
- Fiction