Rescuing Riley, Saving Myself
Zachary Anderegg
Rescuing Riley, Saving Myself
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Man and His Dog's Struggle to Find Salvation
by Zachary Anderegg
The text is written at a 6th 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
Zak found Riley, a tiny puppy trapped in a deep, dark canyon, hurt and alone. But Zak isn’t just any rescuer—he’s a strong Marine with a brave heart determined to save Riley and himself. What happens when two fighters, both scarred by tough pasts, come together to heal?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel tells the compelling story of Zachary Anderegg, a former Marine who rescues an injured puppy named Riley from a remote canyon. The story explores themes of overcoming adversity, the healing power of human-animal bonds, and resilience in the face of bullying and neglect. Suitable for ages 9-12, it offers valuable lessons on courage and compassion without graphic descriptions of violence.
Why we rated Rescuing Riley, Saving Myself 11ME
Rescuing Riley, Saving Myself is written at a Level 6 reading level across 208 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Rescuing Riley, Saving Myself works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Rescuing Riley, Saving Myself 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 — 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, Rescuing Riley, Saving Myself explores animal rescue, human-animal relationships, friendship, overcoming adversity, and family — 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 animal rescue, human-animal relationships, friendship.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
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
11ME — 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
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781634502184
- Pages
- 208
- Publisher
- Skyhorse
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Nonfiction