Of Salt and Shore
Annet Schaap
Of Salt and Shore
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Annet Schaap
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
What if one stormy night, a lighthouse lantern went unlit and a ship crashed on the rocks? Imagine being sent away to a spooky house where a strange monster lives, only to find an unexpected friend instead. Now, Lampie must dive into a magical world of mermaids, pirates, and secrets, where friendship and courage are her only hope.
Quick Assessment
Of Salt and Shore is a middle grade fantasy novel that explores themes of friendship, courage, and acceptance through a richly imagined fairytale adventure. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story includes some moments of peril and emotional depth but is ultimately uplifting. Parents should note the presence of mild fantasy violence and themes of difference and belonging.
Why we rated Of Salt and Shore 12ME
Of Salt and Shore is written at a Level 7 reading level across 352 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Of Salt and Shore works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Of Salt and Shore as 12ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. 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 mild intensity score.
Thematically, Of Salt and Shore explores friendship, adventure, fantasy world-building, coming of age, and family — 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 friendship, adventure, fantasy world-building.
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
12ME — Moderate — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781623542306
- Pages
- 352
- Publisher
- Charlesbridge Publishing
- Published
- 2020
- Type
- Fiction