What reading level is The bone queen?

The bone queen by Alison Croggon is at a Level 5-6 reading level (Lexile 840L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is The bone queen appropriate for?

The bone queen is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 10MT (Moderate — Thematic).

What genre is The bone queen?

The bone queen is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does The bone queen have any content warnings?

The bone queen has a HootRating of 10MT (Moderate — Thematic). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is The bone queen?

The bone queen by Alison Croggon is 404 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

The bone queen

Alison Croggon

The bone queen

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

Pellinor: Cadvan's Story

by Alison Croggon

Reading Level 5-6 10MT Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

The Bone Queen stands tall, her icy gaze sweeping over the shadowed battlefield as the wind howls through broken ruins. Magic crackles in the air, and the fate of kingdoms hangs by a thread. Suddenly, a mysterious figure emerges from the darkness—what secret will they reveal?

Themes

MagicKingsQueensRulersBards and BardismGood and EvilQuests

Quick Assessment

The Bone Queen is a middle-grade fantasy novel featuring themes of magic, leadership, and the classic battle between good and evil. Suitable for ages 9-12, it explores complex ideas like quests and bardism in an accessible way without graphic content. Parents can expect an engaging story that encourages imagination and moral reflection.

Why we rated The bone queen 10MT

The bone queen is written at a Level 5-6 reading level with a Lexile measure of 840L across 404 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 6.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The bone queen works for readers up to grade 7.5.

We rate The bone queen as 10MT ("Moderate — Thematic") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. The strongest signals come from thematic difficulty — 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 mild intensity score.

Thematically, The bone queen explores magic, kings, queens, rulers, and bards and bardism — 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 magic, kings, queens.