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Treasure Island

Robert Louis Stevenson

Cover of Treasure Island

Treasure Island

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Robert Louis Stevenson

Reading Level 4-5 9MP Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 4th 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 found a treasure map that could lead to gold beyond your wildest dreams? Imagine setting sail on a ship full of pirates, each with their own secrets and dangers. But can you trust anyone when the hunt for buried treasure turns into a fight for survival?

Themes

AdventureFriendshipComing of AgePiratesBuried TreasureFiction

Quick Assessment

Treasure Island is a classic adventure story about a boy named Jim Hawkins who discovers a pirate’s map and embarks on a dangerous journey to find hidden treasure. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book includes themes of bravery, trust, and adventure, with some scenes of peril and conflict typical of pirate tales. Parents should note mild fantasy violence and suspenseful moments.

Why we rated Treasure Island 9MP

Treasure Island is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 191 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Treasure Island works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Treasure Island as 9MP ("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.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.

Thematically, Treasure Island explores adventure, friendship, coming of age, pirates, and buried treasure — 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, friendship, coming of age.

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.

For Parents

Content Intensity

9MP — Moderate — Physical
Emotional
Light
Physical
Moderate
Social
Clear
Thematic
Light

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

2/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

3/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
4
Emotional Weight
6
Theme Richness
6
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

191 pages
ISBN
9781387049424
Pages
191
Publisher
Lulu.com
Published
2017
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Adventure and AdventurersBuried TreasureCaribbean AreaPirates