What reading level is Tehanu?

Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin is at a Level 5-6 reading level. Recommended for Upper Grades readers (Ages 13+).

What genre is Tehanu?

Tehanu is fiction — Juvenile Fiction. Part of the Earthsea series.

How many pages is Tehanu?

Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin is 252 pages (approximately 68,020 words).

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Tehanu

Ursula K. Le Guin

Tehanu

Q: What age is Tehanu appropriate for?

Tehanu is recommended for Ages 13+. HootRating: 10VP (Vivid — Physical). Content flags: Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Stalking, Sexual Assault, Physical Restraint, Eye Mutilation, Excessive Gore, Torture, Finger/Toe Mutilation, Abandonment.

Q: Does Tehanu have any content warnings?

Tehanu has a HootRating of 10VP (Vivid — Physical). Content flags include: Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Stalking, Sexual Assault, Physical Restraint, Eye Mutilation, Excessive Gore, Torture, Finger/Toe Mutilation, Abandonment. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Ursula K. Le Guin

Earthsea

Reading Level 5-6 10VP Ages 13+ Heads Up

The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is very intense with mature or graphic material.

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About This Book

In a world where magic shapes the land and its people, a young girl named Tehanu faces deep challenges as she seeks safety and strength after enduring harsh mistreatment. Her journey reveals hidden powers and the courage needed to heal from past wounds. Together with unexpected allies, she confronts darkness both within and around her to find hope and belonging.

Themes

Fantasy World-Building Coming of Age Family Survival Social Justice

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 5-6 book with very intense content intensity. Note: content intensity (Very Intense) exceeds what the reading level might suggest. Content themes include child abuse, domestic violence, stalking. Written for readers ages 13+.

Why we rated Tehanu 10VP

Tehanu is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 252 pages (approximately 68,020 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Tehanu works for readers up to grade 7.5.

Read aloud, Tehanu runs about 7.6 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate Tehanu as 10VP ("Vivid — Physical") because the content sits in the "Very Intense" range — very intense or graphic content — peril, violence, trauma, or mature themes treated head-on. The strongest signals come from physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Stalking, Sexual Assault, Physical Restraint, Eye Mutilation, Excessive Gore, Torture, Finger/Toe Mutilation, Abandonment.

Thematically, Tehanu explores fantasy world-building, coming of age, family, survival, and social justice — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about fantasy world-building, coming of age, family.
✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 5 more books in the Earthsea series.

Maybe not for

! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
! Children younger than 13+ — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.