The dead-tossed waves
Carrie Ryan
The dead-tossed waves
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Carrie Ryan
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
What if the world you knew was overrun by the dead, and every step outside meant danger? Imagine Gabry, trying to keep safe in a place where trust is rare and survival is never guaranteed. When a single mistake turns everything upside down, she must fight to protect the people she loves—but can she escape the darkness closing in?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This young adult novel follows Gabry as she navigates a post-apocalyptic world filled with zombies and danger. Themes of survival, love, and courage are woven throughout, making it suitable for teens comfortable with horror elements and some romantic tension. Parents should note the presence of violence and suspense typical for the genre, appropriate for readers aged 13 and up.
Why we rated The dead-tossed waves 12ME
The dead-tossed waves is written at a Level 8 reading level across 407 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The dead-tossed waves works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate The dead-tossed waves 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, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Fantasy Violence, Suspenseful Situations.
Thematically, The dead-tossed waves explores survival, adventure, love & romance, horror, and fantasy world-building — 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about survival, adventure, love & romance.
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.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 9780385736848
- Pages
- 407
- Publisher
- Delacorte Books for Young Readers
- Published
- 2010
- Type
- Fiction