Price of Magic
Gavin Neale
Price of Magic
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Gavin Neale
The text is written at a 4th 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
What if magic wasn’t just a story, but something you could see and feel? Imagine discovering you have magical powers but forgetting how you got them—and then being pulled back into a world where danger and adventure await. Can Abby stop a magical war and save her friends, even when the past is slipping away?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fantasy follows Abby, an 11-year-old girl who once had magical powers and a daring adventure rescuing her mother from a magical realm. As memories of those events fade, Abby is drawn back into a dangerous conflict involving witches and a magical queen. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story touches on themes of bravery, memory, and responsibility, with mild fantasy peril and emotional challenges.
Why we rated Price of Magic 9ME
Price of Magic is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 176 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Price of Magic works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Price of Magic as 9ME ("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.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Price of Magic explores fantasy world-building, adventure, friendship, family, and coming of age — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about fantasy world-building, adventure, friendship.
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
9ME — 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
- 9781788037662
- Pages
- 176
- Publisher
- Troubador Publishing Ltd
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction