What reading level is the In the Footsteps of Explorers series?

The In the Footsteps of Explorers series by Anders Knudsen is at a Grades 6.7–7.1 reading level (average Grade 7). Intended for Middle Grades (Ages 9–12). There are 4 books in the series.

What order should I read the In the Footsteps of Explorers books?

The In the Footsteps of Explorers series has 4 books in order: 1. Antoine De La Mothe Cadillac, 2. Henry the Navigator, 3. Samuel de Champlain, 4. Sir Walter Raleigh.

What age is the In the Footsteps of Explorers series appropriate for?

The In the Footsteps of Explorers series is recommended for Middle Grades (Ages 9–12). The average content intensity is 1.5/5.

In the Footsteps of Explorers Books in Order

4 books by Anders Knudsen. Reading level: Grades 6.7–7.1. Middle Grades (Ages 9–12).

Series books grow with readers — but that's also the trap. Most series start at one reading level and one content intensity and drift upward over the course of the run. In the Footsteps of Explorers (4 books by Anders Knudsen) lands at reading level Grades 6.7–7.1, with average content intensity 1.5/5. Content intensity edges up across the run; the last few books carry heavier themes than the first.

The reading-order table below lists every book with per-volume reading level and intensity badges so you can spot any escalation before it catches your reader off guard. For a deeper dive into how we score text difficulty vs. emotional weight separately — and why series readers especially benefit from that split — see our methodology page.

Books

Grades 6.7–7.1

Reading Level

1.5/5

Avg. Intensity

Middle Grades

Content Intensity Across the Series

Gradual Escalation

Content gradually intensifies from Gentle to Moderate.

First book Latest book

In the Footsteps of Explorers Reading Order

#	Title	Reading Level	Content
1	Antoine De La Mothe Cadillac Anders Knudsen	Level 7-8	Gentle
2	Henry the Navigator Lisa Ariganello	Level 7-8	Gentle
3	Samuel de Champlain Adrianna Morganelli	Level 7-8	Gentle
4	Sir Walter Raleigh Nancy Ward	Level 6-7	Moderate

All In the Footsteps of Explorers Books

Antoine De La Mothe Cadillac

Anders Knudsen

Antoine De La Mothe Cadillac

Anders Knudsen

Level 7-8 Gentle

Henry the Navigator

Lisa Ariganello

Henry the Navigator

Lisa Ariganello

Level 7-8 Gentle

Samuel de Champlain

Adrianna Morganelli

Samuel de Champlain

Adrianna Morganelli

Level 7-8 Gentle

Sir Walter Raleigh

Nancy Ward

Sir Walter Raleigh

Nancy Ward

Level 6-7

Questions about the In the Footsteps of Explorers series

What reading level is the In the Footsteps of Explorers series?: The In the Footsteps of Explorers series by Anders Knudsen is at a Grades 6.7–7.1 reading level (average Grade 7). Intended for Middle Grades (Ages 9–12). There are 4 books in the series.
What order should I read the In the Footsteps of Explorers books?: The reading-order table above lists all 4 books with per-volume reading level and intensity ratings. Start with book 1 and read in publication order unless the table indicates a different recommended order for newer readers.
What age is the In the Footsteps of Explorers series appropriate for?: The In the Footsteps of Explorers series is recommended for Middle Grades (Ages 9–12). The average content intensity is 1.5/5. Check the intensity trajectory above to see whether content gets heavier across the series — if it does, sensitive readers may want to stop earlier in the run.