Solace of Stones
Julie Riddle
Solace of Stones
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Finding a Way Through Wilderness
by Julie Riddle
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 intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.
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About This Book
Some pioneers face wild lands, but what if the toughest battles are the ones inside? This story follows a young woman uncovering secrets buried deep in her past while living on the Montana frontier. Her courage to face the truth changes everything she thought she knew about herself and her family.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Solace of Stones is a fictional memoir centered on a young girl growing up in a contemporary pioneer family in Montana. The story explores challenging themes such as repressed childhood sexual abuse and the cultural pressures of frontier life, making it suitable for mature middle-grade readers aged 9-12 with parental guidance. It sensitively addresses trauma and identity within the context of family and societal expectations.
Why we rated Solace of Stones 12IE
Solace of Stones is written at a Level 7 reading level across 300 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Solace of Stones works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Solace of Stones as 12IE ("Intense — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Child sexual abuse.
Thematically, Solace of Stones explores pioneers, frontier and pioneer life, montana, child sexual abuse, 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 pioneers, frontier and pioneer life, montana.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 9-12 — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12IE — Intense — EmotionalHeavy themes explored in depth. War, death, abuse addressed directly.
Content Flags
Was our "Intense" 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
- 9780803276864
- Pages
- 300
- Publisher
- U of Nebraska Press
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Nonfiction