Powers
Ursula K. Le Guin
Powers
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Ursula K. Le Guin
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for older middle graders (ages 11+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Gav has extraordinary abilities that let him remember everything at a glance and even glimpse the future, but he must hide these gifts while living as a slave. When tragedy strikes, he escapes on a dangerous quest to discover who he truly is and where he belongs. Along the way, Gav learns to embrace his powers and find a place to call home.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 6 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include loss & grief, physical danger. Written for readers ages 11+.
Why we rated Powers 11ME
Powers is written at a Level 6 reading level across 502 pages (approximately 111,818 words). Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Powers works for readers up to grade 8.0.
Read aloud, Powers runs about 12.4 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Powers as 11ME ("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, physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Loss & Grief, Physical Danger.
Thematically, Powers explores fantasy, coming of age, adventure, self-discovery, and freedom — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 11+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Readers who like a steady plot with enough momentum to keep pages turning.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about fantasy, coming of age, adventure.
- ✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 2 more books in the Annals of the Western Shore series.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
5/10Engaging read with solid pacing and interesting themes.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
More in the Annals of the Western Shore Series
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780152057701
- Pages
- 502
- Publisher
- Clarion Books
- Published
- 2007
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 111,818
- Read-Aloud
- ~12h 25m
- Text Density
- Standard