What reading level is Soldier?

Soldier by Julie Kagawa is at a Level 5-6 reading level (Lexile 810L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Soldier appropriate for?

Soldier is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 10ME (Moderate — Emotional). Content flags: Fantasy Violence, Mild Peril.

What genre is Soldier?

Soldier is fiction — Fiction.

Does Soldier have any content warnings?

Soldier has a HootRating of 10ME (Moderate — Emotional). Content flags include: Fantasy Violence, Mild Peril. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Soldier?

Soldier by Julie Kagawa is 380 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Soldier

Julie Kagawa

Soldier

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Julie Kagawa

Reading Level 5-6 10ME Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 5th 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

I have a secret to tell you: Ember Hill is caught between two worlds—she could become a fierce assassin for the dragons or live forever hunted as an outcast. She's joined forces with rebel dragons, but her twin brother and an old enemy are caught in this dangerous game too. And that's only the beginning.

Themes

AssassinsFamily Fantasy World-Building Adventure Friendship

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fantasy novel follows Ember Hill, a girl torn between loyalty to a dragon assassin group and her own survival. Themes include family bonds, identity struggles, and secret organizations. Suitable for readers aged 9-12, it contains fantasy violence and suspense but no explicit content.

Why we rated Soldier 10ME

Soldier is written at a Level 5-6 reading level with a Lexile measure of 810L across 380 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 6.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Soldier works for readers up to grade 7.5.

We rate Soldier as 10ME ("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, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Fantasy Violence, Mild Peril.

Thematically, Soldier explores assassins, family, fantasy world-building, 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 assassins, family, fantasy world-building.

Maybe not for

! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.