The princess of 72nd Street
Elaine Kraf
The princess of 72nd Street
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Novel
by Elaine Kraf
The text is written at a 4th 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
Have you ever met a princess who lives right in the middle of a bustling city? Imagine sharing your body with a royal who believes in magic and mysterious 'radiances'—but also causes lots of trouble! What will happen when the Princess tries to stay in charge and keep her sparkling secrets safe?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores the imaginative and complex life of Ellen, who shares her body with the spirited Princess Esmeralda, set against the backdrop of Manhattan's 72nd Street. The story blends themes of creativity, mental health challenges, and the struggles of controlling unpredictable experiences, all wrapped in witty and sardonic storytelling. Suitable for ages 9-12, parents should note the book touches on emotional complexity and mild references to mental health and interpersonal difficulties.
Why we rated The princess of 72nd Street 9ME
The princess of 72nd Street is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 118 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The princess of 72nd Street works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The princess of 72nd Street as 9ME ("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, 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 princess of 72nd Street explores women artists, spirits, identity & self-discovery, mental health, and creativity — 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 women artists, spirits, identity & self-discovery.
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
9ME — 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
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0811207498
- Pages
- 118
- Publisher
- New Directions Publishing
- Published
- 1979
- Type
- Fiction