The untamed
Frederick Faust
The untamed
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Frederick Faust
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
What would you do if you had to chase the most dangerous outlaws across wild, untamed lands? Whistling Dan Barry is on the trail of Jim Silent and his gang, who have done something terrible to Dan's partner. Can Dan catch them before they disappear forever?
Themes
Quick Assessment
The Untamed is a classic Western mystery following Whistling Dan Barry's pursuit of a dangerous outlaw gang responsible for a personal loss. Suitable for middle-grade readers, it explores themes of justice and bravery with some suspenseful moments typical of the genre. Parents should note the presence of mild peril and action scenes common to Western adventures.
Why we rated The untamed 12LP
The untamed is written at a Level 7 reading level across 374 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The untamed works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate The untamed as 12LP ("Light — Physical") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, The untamed explores adventure, mystery, western, 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, mystery, western.
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.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LP — Light — PhysicalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A 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
- 0839824629
- Pages
- 374
- Publisher
- Gregg Press
- Published
- 1978
- Type
- Fiction