Remnants
Katherine Applegate
Remnants
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Survival
by Katherine Applegate
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 you thought everyone was gone, but some survivors were still out there on a broken Earth? The Remnants are trying to live on a planet changed forever, while Tate and Yago face challenges far away on the Mother ship. Can they find hope in a world that feels lost?
Quick Assessment
Remnants follows a group of survivors adjusting to life on a devastated Earth after an asteroid strike, while two characters aboard a spaceship grapple with their own difficulties. Suitable for middle-grade readers, this science fiction story explores themes of survival and resilience in a challenging setting. Parents should note the story involves environmental disaster and the emotional struggles of the characters.
Why we rated Remnants 9ME
Remnants is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 165 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Remnants works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Remnants 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, 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, Remnants explores space flight, space travelers, science fiction, survival, and adventure — 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 space flight, space travelers, science fiction.
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
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780590877350
- Pages
- 165
- Publisher
- Scholastic Paperbacks
- Published
- 2003-07
- Type
- Fiction