The glass spare
Lauren DeStefano
The glass spare
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Lauren DeStefano
The text is written at a 8th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Wil’s fingers brush against the cold stone—and suddenly, it sparkles and shines like a jewel. She’s not just any princess; her touch turns people into gemstone! But when her secret power causes unexpected tragedy, Wil has to flee her kingdom and face dangers she never imagined. Who is the cursed prince chasing her, and what does he want with her deadly gift?
Quick Assessment
The Glass Spare is a fantasy adventure about Wilhelmina, a princess with a dangerous power that can turn people into gemstone. Set against a backdrop of political intrigue and looming war, the story explores themes of identity, family loyalty, and self-discovery. Suitable for middle-grade readers (ages 9-12), it contains mild peril and complex emotional themes but no graphic content.
Why we rated The glass spare 12ME
The glass spare is written at a Level 8 reading level across 402 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The glass spare works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate The glass spare 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.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, The glass spare explores fantasy world-building, adventure, spies, coming of age, and family — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about fantasy world-building, adventure, spies.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! 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.
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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780062491282
- Pages
- 402
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction