Wildfire
Rodman Philbrick
Wildfire
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Rodman Philbrick
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
The sharp scent of smoke fills the air as flames roar nearby, crackling and snapping through the forest. Sam and Delphy race against the wildfire, hearts pounding, as the heat pushes them forward on the rough logging roads. Every step is a fight to survive in the wild woods of Maine, and the danger is closer than they think.
Quick Assessment
Wildfire follows thirteen-year-old Sam, who faces a life-threatening situation after returning to a summer camp to retrieve his phone just as a fast-moving wildfire forces an evacuation. Alongside Delphy, a girl from another camp, Sam navigates the dangerous wilderness of Maine, emphasizing themes of survival, courage, and resilience. Suitable for middle-grade readers, this action-packed story handles natural disaster and personal challenges with moderate intensity.
Why we rated Wildfire 11IP
Wildfire is written at a Level 6 reading level across 224 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 11IP ("Intense — 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 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 survival, adventure, friendship, science & nature, and coming of age — 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 survival, adventure, 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
11IP — Intense — PhysicalReal 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781338713640
- Pages
- 224
- Publisher
- Scholastic, Incorporated
- Published
- 2021
- Type
- Fiction