The Cobra King of Kathmandu
Philip Kerr
The Cobra King of Kathmandu
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Philip Kerr
The text is written at a 8th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
John and Philippa race through the bustling streets of Kathmandu, hearts pounding as shadows close in. A deadly king cobra's venomous bite is just the start of the mystery they're desperate to solve. But when a sudden break-in turns everything upside down, who can they really trust?
Quick Assessment
This thrilling installment in the Children of the Lamp series follows djinn twins John and Philippa as they unravel a magical mystery involving murder and ancient talismans. Suitable for teens aged 13 to 18, the story includes themes of adventure, family bonds, and supernatural elements. Parents should note the presence of suspenseful scenes and mild peril, but the book is appropriate for young adult readers interested in fantasy and action.
Why we rated The Cobra King of Kathmandu 12ME
The Cobra King of Kathmandu is written at a Level 8 reading level across 560 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Cobra King of Kathmandu works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate The Cobra King of Kathmandu as 12ME ("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 — 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 moderate intensity score.
Thematically, The Cobra King of Kathmandu explores adventure, family, fantasy world-building, and mystery — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, 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.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780786296941
- Pages
- 560
- Publisher
- Thorndike Press
- Published
- October 3, 2007
- Type
- Fiction