The wizard of the Emerald City
A. Volkov
The wizard of the Emerald City
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Adapted from L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz ; And, Urfin Jus and His Wooden Soldiers
by A. Volkov
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 if a girl named Ellie from Kansas found herself in a magical land filled with strange creatures and incredible adventures? Imagine meeting talking animals, powerful wizards, and facing mysterious challenges at every turn. But can Ellie find her way home before the magic changes everything?
Quick Assessment
This book is a Russian adaptation of the classic 'Wizard of Oz' story, featuring Ellie, a young girl who journeys through a magical land. Suitable for ages 9-12, it combines fantasy and adventure while exploring themes of courage and friendship. Parents should know it contains mild fantasy peril typical of middle-grade fantasy fiction.
Why we rated The wizard of the Emerald City 12LE
The wizard of the Emerald City is written at a Level 7 reading level across 342 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The wizard of the Emerald City works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate The wizard of the Emerald City as 12LE ("Light — Emotional") 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 wizard of the Emerald City explores fantasy world-building, adventure, coming of age, 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, coming of age.
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.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" 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
- 187894116X
- Pages
- 342
- Publisher
- Red Branch Press
- Published
- 1991
- Type
- Fiction