Renegade
Terri Farley
Renegade
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Terri Farley
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
The dusty wind carries the sharp clatter of hooves pounding the earth under a blazing sun. Sam's heart races as she spots the Phantom's herd—but where is he? The wide-open West hides secrets, and Sam must brave them all to save her wild friend.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Renegade, the fourth book in Terri Farley's Phantom Stallion series, follows a young girl named Sam who faces the challenge of protecting her beloved wild horse and local ranchers from a determined rodeo contractor. Suited for readers aged 9-12, this middle grade novel explores themes of family, courage, and the bond between humans and animals. It includes action and adventure elements without intense content, making it appropriate for its target audience.
Why we rated Renegade 12LE
Renegade 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, Renegade works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Renegade as 12LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, Renegade explores animals, horses, family, action & adventure, and friendship — 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 animals, horses, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A 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
- 9781665916424
- Pages
- 320
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- 2024
- Type
- Fiction