What reading level is To stay alive?

To stay alive by Skila Brown is at a Level 5-6 reading level (Lexile 860L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is To stay alive appropriate for?

To stay alive is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 10ME (Moderate — Emotional).

What genre is To stay alive?

To stay alive is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does To stay alive have any content warnings?

To stay alive has a HootRating of 10ME (Moderate — Emotional). 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 To stay alive?

To stay alive by Skila Brown is 275 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

To stay alive

Skila Brown

To stay alive

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

Mary Ann Graves and the Tragic Journey of the Donner Party

by Skila Brown

Reading Level 5-6 10ME Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 5th 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 you were trapped in the freezing mountains with your family, and every step could mean life or death? Imagine facing hunger, cold, and fear as you fight to stay alive on a dangerous journey west. Could you find hope when everything seems lost?

Themes

Historical Survival FamilyJuvenile FictionNovels in Verse

Quick Assessment

This novel-in-verse tells the harrowing story of a young girl’s experience as a member of the Donner Party during their ill-fated 1846 journey to the Pacific. It explores themes of survival, hardship, and resilience amid extreme cold and starvation, suitable for readers ages 9-12 who can handle mature historical content. Parents should be aware of the serious nature of the historical events depicted, including death and suffering.

Why we rated To stay alive 10ME

To stay alive is written at a Level 5-6 reading level with a Lexile measure of 860L across 275 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 6.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, To stay alive works for readers up to grade 7.5.

We rate To stay alive as 10ME ("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, physical peril — 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, To stay alive explores historical, survival, family, juvenile fiction, and novels in verse — 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.
✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about historical, survival, family.

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.