The Lost Lagoon (Roxbury Park Books)
Jonathan Schmidt
The Lost Lagoon (Roxbury Park Books)
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jonathan Schmidt
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
Here’s a secret: Marisa Newman’s ordinary world is about to change forever when she discovers a mysterious amulet hidden away in her dad’s tackle box. This ancient treasure unlocks a magical place called The Lost Lagoon, exactly the adventure she’s been dreaming of—but that’s only the beginning.
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fantasy follows twelve-year-old Marisa Newman as she uncovers a magical amulet that leads her to a secret place called The Lost Lagoon. The story explores themes of adventure and self-discovery, suitable for readers ages 9 to 12, with gentle fantasy elements and no intense content.
Why we rated The Lost Lagoon (Roxbury Park Books) 9C
The Lost Lagoon (Roxbury Park Books) is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 160 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Lost Lagoon (Roxbury Park Books) works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The Lost Lagoon (Roxbury Park Books) as 9C ("Clear") 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 Lost Lagoon (Roxbury Park Books) explores fantasy world-building, adventure, and coming of age — 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 world-building, adventure, coming of age.
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
9C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 9780737301175
- Pages
- 160
- Publisher
- Contemporary Books
- Published
- April 2001
- Type
- Fiction