Surviving the Ice

Name: Surviving the Ice
Author: Kristin J. Russo
ISBN: 9781629208046

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Kristin J. Russo

Iron Will

Reading Level 5 ME · Moderate · Emotional Ages 9-12 Matched Page-Turner

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. Its HootRating code, ME, means moderate content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

Stranded miles from the North Pole after a plane crash, a group of survivors must brave freezing temperatures and fierce blizzards with little shelter. Through gripping tales of courage and endurance, discover how they face frostbite, hidden ice dangers, and relentless cold to stay alive against all odds. These true stories reveal the toughness and spirit needed to survive in the harshest conditions on Earth.

Themes

Survival AdventureNature

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 5 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include physical danger, fear & anxiety, illness & injury. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated Surviving the Ice ME (Moderate)

Surviving the Ice is written at a Level 5 reading level across 48 pages (approximately 4,040 words). Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage Surviving the Ice on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

Read aloud, Surviving the Ice takes about 27 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.

We rate Surviving the Ice as ME (Moderate, mostly 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.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Physical Danger, Fear & Anxiety, Illness & Injury.

Thematically, Surviving the Ice explores survival, adventure, and nature — 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.
✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about survival, adventure, nature.
✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 2 more books in the Iron Will series.
✓ 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.

For Parents

Content Intensity

ME · Moderate · Emotional

Emotional

Moderate ←

Physical

Moderate

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.