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Wings of Fire

Tui Sutherland

Cover of Wings of Fire

Wings of Fire

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

The Dark Secret

by Tui Sutherland

Reading Level 6 11LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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 mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

The sharp clang of dragon wings echoes through the dark caves, mixing with the smoky scent of night air. Starflight, a brave dragonet, is trapped far from home in a kingdom filled with shadows and secrets. Alone but determined, he holds the fate of two worlds close to his heart.

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fantasy novel follows Starflight, a young dragonet who is kidnapped and discovers unsettling truths about his homeland. The story explores themes of bravery, loyalty, and the struggle between kingdoms, suitable for readers aged 9-12. It contains mild peril and fantasy violence appropriate for its target audience.

Why we rated Wings of Fire 11LE

Wings of Fire is written at a Level 6 reading level across 295 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Wings of Fire works for readers up to grade 8.0.

We rate Wings of Fire as 11LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

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

Thematically, Wings of Fire explores fantasy world-building, adventure, friendship, 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 fantasy world-building, adventure, friendship.

Maybe not for

  • ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

11LE — Light — Emotional
Emotional
Light
Physical
Light
Social
Clear
Thematic
Light

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: standard

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

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

2/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

2/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
5
Emotional Weight
4
Theme Richness
4
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

295 pages
ISBN
9789352750887
Pages
295
Publisher
Scholastic Press
Published
2021
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

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