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The Lost Prince (Puffin Classics)

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Cover of The Lost Prince (Puffin Classics)

The Lost Prince (Puffin Classics)

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Reading Level 6 11MP Ages 13+ Matched

The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.

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About This Book

Marco and his father have wandered from place to place across Europe, hiding their identities and living in hardship. Their hope rests on the return of the Lost Prince, who is destined to bring peace to their troubled homeland. This tale follows their journey through danger and loyalty in a country torn apart by conflict.

Themes

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 6 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include war & conflict, poverty & hardship, physical danger. Written for readers ages 13+.

Why we rated The Lost Prince (Puffin Classics) 11MP

The Lost Prince (Puffin Classics) is written at a Level 6 reading level across 336 pages (approximately 87,331 words). Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Lost Prince (Puffin Classics) works for readers up to grade 8.0.

Read aloud, The Lost Prince (Puffin Classics) runs about 9.7 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate The Lost Prince (Puffin Classics) as 11MP ("Moderate — Physical") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from physical peril, social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: War & Conflict, Poverty & Hardship, Physical Danger.

Thematically, The Lost Prince (Puffin Classics) explores adventure, family, war & conflict, and coming of age — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.

Good fit for

  • Children in the Ages 13+ 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 adventure, family, war & conflict.

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

11MP — Moderate — Physical
Emotional
Clear
Physical
Moderate
Social
Moderate
Thematic
Clear

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.

Content Flags

War & Conflict Poverty & Hardship Physical Danger
Data confidence: standard

Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

2/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

6/10

Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
5
Emotional Weight
6
Narrative Pace
3
Theme Richness
7
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
6

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Details

Book Length

336 pages
87,331 words
9h 42m read-aloud
ISBN
0140367543
Pages
336
Publisher
Puffin Books
Published
January 1, 1997
Type
Fiction
Word Count
87,331
Read-Aloud
~9h 42m
Text Density
Dense

Subjects

ExilesAdventure StoriesKingsQueensRulersEtcPrincesBritish and Irish Fiction