Wildfire
Mavis Thorpe Clark
Wildfire
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Mavis Thorpe Clark
The text is written at a 6th 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
Flames roar as the wildfire races across the dry fields, smoke filling the sky like an angry storm. Five kids run through the chaos, hearts pounding, trying to find safety before the fire catches up. But what happens when the fire splits the group apart?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction captures the intensity of a wildfire through the eyes of five children caught in its path. Suitable for ages 9-12, it explores themes of bravery, survival, and friendship amidst natural disaster. Parents should note the depiction of fire danger and tension but will find no graphic violence or mature content.
Why we rated Wildfire 11ME
Wildfire is written at a Level 6 reading level across 211 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Wildfire works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Wildfire as 11ME ("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, Wildfire explores adventure, survival, friendship, and nature & science — 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, survival, friendship.
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
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 9780027189704
- Pages
- 211
- Publisher
- Atheneum
- Published
- 1974
- Type
- Fiction