Poisoned
Jennifer Donnelly
Poisoned
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jennifer Donnelly
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
I have a secret about Sophie, a princess with lips like cherries and hair as dark as midnight. The queen’s huntsman took her heart, but that’s only the beginning of her story. What if the real enemy isn’t who she thinks it is?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Poisoned is a dark fantasy retelling of a classic fairy tale, focusing on themes of self-doubt, strength, and power. Suitable for teens 13 and up, it explores complex social themes and emotional growth through Sophie's journey. Parents should be aware of the story’s dark tone and mature themes around identity and resilience.
Why we rated Poisoned 12IE
Poisoned is written at a Level 7 reading level across 320 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Poisoned works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Poisoned as 12IE ("Intense — 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, physical peril, social complexity, thematic difficulty — 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, Poisoned explores young adult fiction, fairy tales & folklore, fantasy, dark fantasy, and social themes — 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 young adult fiction, fairy tales & folklore, fantasy.
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
12IE — Intense — 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
- 9781338268508
- Pages
- 320
- Publisher
- Scholastic Incorporated
- Published
- Mar 01, 2022
- Type
- Fiction