The great pursuit
Wendy Higgins
The great pursuit
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Wendy Higgins
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
What if magic was forbidden, but one princess believed it was the only hope to save her kingdom? Imagine a world where love and war collide, and the choices you make could change everything. Can Princess Aerity protect her family and her heart when danger lurks on every side?
Themes
Quick Assessment
The Great Pursuit is a middle-grade fantasy novel featuring political intrigue, magic, and romance. It follows Princess Aerity as she navigates a kingdom divided by fear of magic, balancing her duty with her feelings for a mysterious magical ally. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story includes themes of loyalty, bravery, and complex relationships, with mild peril and fantasy violence.
Why we rated The great pursuit 12ME
The great pursuit is written at a Level 8 reading level across 496 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The great pursuit works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate The great pursuit 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 great pursuit explores magic, princesses, enemies, romance, 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 magic, princesses, enemies.
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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780062381361
- Pages
- 496
- Publisher
- HarperTeen
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction