Royal bastards
Andrew Shvarts
Royal bastards
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Andrew Shvarts
The text is written at a 7th 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 being a 'bastard' meant you were the kingdom's last hope? Imagine sneaking through secret tunnels, making unlikely friends, and stumbling upon a dangerous secret that could start a war. Can Tilla and her friends stop a coup before it's too late?
Quick Assessment
Royal Bastards is a middle-grade fantasy novel about Tilla, a cast-aside daughter of a lord, who discovers a brewing rebellion alongside other outcasts. The story features themes of family, loyalty, and adventure, with some peril and suspense suitable for ages 9-12. Parents should note the presence of mild fantasy violence and themes of social exclusion.
Why we rated Royal bastards 12ME
Royal bastards is written at a Level 7 reading level across 346 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Royal bastards works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Royal bastards as 12ME ("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, Royal bastards explores magic, adventure, family, friendship, and fantasy world-building — 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 magic, adventure, family.
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
12ME — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781484767658
- Pages
- 346
- Publisher
- Disney-Hyperion
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction