Saints of Augustine
P. E. Ryan
Saints of Augustine
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by P. E. Ryan
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
Charlie and Sam were once inseparable, but now at sixteen, everything is changing faster than they can handle. When death and family troubles shake their world, their friendship becomes the lifeline they never expected. It shows how sticking together can be the strongest thing in the hardest times.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in St. Augustine, Florida, this middle-grade novel explores the deep friendship between two teens navigating significant challenges like death and family divorce. Appropriate for ages 9-12, it thoughtfully addresses themes of grief, change, and resilience without graphic content, making it a meaningful read for children facing similar experiences.
Why we rated Saints of Augustine 12IE
Saints of Augustine 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, Saints of Augustine works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Saints of Augustine as 12IE ("Intense — 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, Saints of Augustine explores friendship, coming of age, family, grief, and adolescence — 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 friendship, coming of age, 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
12IE — Intense — 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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780060858100
- Pages
- 320
- Publisher
- Harper Collins
- Published
- June 12, 2007
- Type
- Fiction