Tutankhamun
Zahi A. Hawass
Tutankhamun
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The Mystery of the Boy King
by Zahi A. Hawass
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
Discover the fascinating life of Tutankhamun, the young Egyptian pharaoh whose tomb revealed incredible treasures and secrets of ancient Egypt. Journey back in time to explore the mysteries of his reign and the wonders of the Eighteenth dynasty. Perfect for young readers eager to learn about history through captivating storytelling.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 6-7 book with gentle content intensity. It's a Sweet Spot read — challenging text with gentle themes, ideal for advanced or 2e readers. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 9-12.
Why we rated Tutankhamun 11C
Tutankhamun is written at a Level 6-7 reading level across 64 pages (approximately 10,340 words). Strong independent readers around grade 7.6 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Tutankhamun works for readers up to grade 8.6.
Read aloud, Tutankhamun runs about 1.2 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Tutankhamun as 11C ("Clear") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.
Thematically, Tutankhamun explores historical, biography, ancient egypt, and adventure — 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 historical, biography, ancient egypt.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
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
11C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
4/10A 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
- 0792283546
- Pages
- 64
- Publisher
- National Geographic Kids
- Published
- 2005
- Type
- Nonfiction
- Word Count
- 10,340
- Read-Aloud
- ~1h 9m
- Text Density
- Standard