What reading level is The evertree?

The evertree by Marie Lu is at a Level 4-5 reading level (Lexile 740L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is The evertree appropriate for?

The evertree is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9LT (Light — Thematic).

What genre is The evertree?

The evertree is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does The evertree have any content warnings?

The evertree has a HootRating of 9LT (Light — 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 evertree?

The evertree by Marie Lu is 188 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

The evertree

Marie Lu

The evertree

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Marie Lu

Reading Level 4-5 9LT Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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 mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

What if every tree held a secret world, alive with magic and mystery? Imagine discovering a tree that can change shape, opening doors to adventures beyond your wildest dreams. But with every new secret uncovered, the fate of two worlds hangs in the balance—what will you do when good and evil collide?

Themes

FantasyGood and EvilShapeshiftingHuman-Animal RelationshipsAdventure

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fantasy novel, suitable for ages 9 to 12, follows an exciting story about shapeshifting trees and the battle between good and evil. It explores themes of friendship, courage, and the connection between humans and nature. Parents should know it contains fantasy adventure elements but no intense violence or mature content.

Why we rated The evertree 9LT

The evertree is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 740L across 188 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The evertree works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate The evertree as 9LT ("Light — Thematic") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.

Thematically, The evertree explores fantasy, good and evil, shapeshifting, human-animal relationships, and adventure — 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 fantasy, good and evil, shapeshifting.