The soul keepers
Devon Taylor
The soul keepers
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Devon Taylor
The text is written at a 6th 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 death wasn’t the end, but the start of a daring adventure? Imagine waking up aboard a giant ship sailing the mysterious afterlife, where you must protect lost souls from terrifying monsters. But when a powerful demon comes after something you carry, the fate of both the living and the dead hangs in the balance.
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fantasy novel follows Rhett, who discovers life after death aboard a massive ship ferrying souls to an unknown destination. The story includes themes of bravery, friendship, and facing supernatural threats, suitable for readers ages 9-12. Parents should note the presence of fantasy violence involving frightening monsters and a demon antagonist.
Why we rated The soul keepers 11MP
The soul keepers is written at a Level 6 reading level across 277 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The soul keepers works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The soul keepers 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 — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Fantasy Violence.
Thematically, The soul keepers explores adventure, fantasy world-building, friendship, 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 adventure, fantasy world-building, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11MP — Moderate — PhysicalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
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
- 9781250168306
- Pages
- 277
- Publisher
- Swoon Reads
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction