The Egyptian Book of the dead
Raymond Faulkner, Ogden Goelet, Carol Andrews, James Wasserman
The Egyptian Book of the dead
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Book of Going Forth by Day
by Raymond Faulkner, Ogden Goelet, Carol Andrews, James Wasserman
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
Did you know a 3,500-year-old scroll holds secrets about life after death? This beautifully illustrated Egyptian Book of the Dead reveals powerful spells and mystical stories that helped guide souls through the afterlife. It's like stepping into an ancient adventure where every picture and word has a magical purpose.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This edition of the Egyptian Book of the Dead presents a richly illustrated and carefully translated version of an ancient funerary scroll dating back over three millennia. Aimed at middle-grade readers, it introduces themes of ancient Egyptian culture, incantations, and beliefs about the afterlife in an accessible way. The content is suitable for ages 9-12, with no intense or graphic material, and offers educational value in history, mythology, and spirituality.
Why we rated The Egyptian Book of the dead 9LT
The Egyptian Book of the dead is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 175 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Egyptian Book of the dead works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The Egyptian Book of the dead as 9LT ("Light — Thematic") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.
Thematically, The Egyptian Book of the dead explores ancient egypt, mysticism, philosophy, history, and spirituality — 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 ancient egypt, mysticism, philosophy.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LT — Light — ThematicNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780811807678
- Pages
- 175
- Publisher
- Chronicle Books
- Published
- 1994
- Type
- Nonfiction