What reading level is The war of the ember?

The war of the ember by Kathryn Lasky is at a Level 5-6 reading level (Lexile 800L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is The war of the ember appropriate for?

The war of the ember is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 10LP (Light — Physical).

What genre is The war of the ember?

The war of the ember is fiction — Children's stories.

Does The war of the ember have any content warnings?

The war of the ember has a HootRating of 10LP (Light — Physical). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is The war of the ember?

The war of the ember by Kathryn Lasky is 232 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

The war of the ember

Kathryn Lasky

The war of the ember

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Kathryn Lasky

Reading Level 5-6 10LP Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 5th 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 if a dark power from long ago suddenly awoke in the frozen Northern Kingdoms? Nyra and the Striga are teaming up to unleash an ancient evil that could change everything. Can the young king and his brave allies stop the darkness before it swallows their world?

Themes

Fantasy World-Building Adventure Friendship Family

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fantasy follows a young king and his allies as they confront an ancient evil rising in the Northern Kingdoms. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story involves themes of friendship, bravery, and the battle between good and evil, with mild fantasy peril. Parents should note there is some fantasy violence consistent with the genre.

Why we rated The war of the ember 10LP

The war of the ember is written at a Level 5-6 reading level with a Lexile measure of 800L across 232 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 6.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The war of the ember works for readers up to grade 7.5.

We rate The war of the ember as 10LP ("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 war of the ember explores fantasy world-building, adventure, friendship, and family — 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, friendship.