What reading level is Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii?

Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii by Barbara Perez Marquez is at a Level 2-3 reading level. Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii appropriate for?

Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 7MP (Moderate — Physical). Content flags: Physical Danger, Survival.

What genre is Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii?

Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii is fiction — Juvenile Fiction. Part of the Girls Survive Graphic Novels series.

Does Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii have any content warnings?

Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii has a HootRating of 7MP (Moderate — Physical). Content flags include: Physical Danger, Survival. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii?

Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii by Barbara Perez Marquez is 49 pages (approximately 1,781 words).

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii

Barbara Perez Marquez

Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

A Mount Vesuvius Eruption Graphic Novel

by Barbara Perez Marquez

Girls Survive Graphic Novels

Reading Level 2-3 7MP Ages 9-12 Heads Up Page-Turner

The text is written at a 2nd 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

When Mount Vesuvius suddenly erupts, twelve-year-old Paulina and her friend Fabia race through Pompeii to stay safe and lend a hand to those in need. Their courageous journey reveals the strength of friendship and bravery during a natural disaster. Along the way, readers discover fascinating facts about the volcanic eruption that changed history.

Themes

Natural DisastersSurvival Friendship Historical

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 2-3 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include physical danger, survival. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii 7MP

Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii is written at a Level 2-3 reading level across 49 pages (approximately 1,781 words). Strong independent readers around grade 3.3 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii works for readers up to grade 4.3.

Read aloud, Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii takes about 12 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.

We rate Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii as 7MP ("Moderate — Physical") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Physical Danger, Survival.

Thematically, Paulina and the Disaster at Pompeii explores natural disasters, survival, friendship, and historical — 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.
✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about natural disasters, survival, friendship.