What reading level is the Left Behind: The Kids series?

Left Behind: The Kids books are at a grades 3–5 reading level (average grade level 4.7), and HootRated recommends the series for ages 9+. There are 31 books in the series.

What order should I read the Left Behind: The Kids books?

Series numbers aren't available for most Left Behind: The Kids books, so HootRated lists them by publication date: Darkening skies (1997); Left behind (1998); Nicolae High (1999); The underground (1999); The vanishings (2000); and 26 more.

What age is the Left Behind: The Kids series appropriate for?

HootRated recommends Left Behind: The Kids for ages 9+. Content is mild to intense (HootRated intensity 2–4 out of 5). Intensity varies from book to book, so check individual ratings in the list above.

Left Behind: The Kids Books in Order

Left Behind: The Kids is a 31-book series by Jerry B. Jenkins for ages 9+, at a grades 3–5 reading level, with mild to intense content (HootRated intensity 2–4 out of 5).

Books: 31; By publication date
Reading level: Grades 3–5; Average grade level 4.7
Recommended ages: Ages 9+; From HootRated age ratings
Content intensity: Mild to intense; HootRated 2–4 out of 5 · avg 2.9

Left Behind: The Kids Reading Order

Series numbers aren't available for most Left Behind: The Kids books, so they're listed by publication date (oldest first).

#	Title	Reading Level	Ages	Content
1	Darkening skies Left Behind the kids Judgement of ice 1997	Level 4-5	9-12	Moderate
2	Left behind the kids 1998	Level 4-5	9-12	Intense
3	Nicolae High 1999	Level 4-5	9-12	Moderate
4	The underground 1999	Level 4-5	9-12	Intense
5	The vanishings 2000	Level 5	9-12	Moderate
6	Judgment Day 2001	Level 4-5	9-12	Mild
7	Left Behind the kids: Terror in the stadium # 17 Book 17 · 2001 · Tim F. LaHaye	Level 4-5	9-12	Moderate
8	Left Behind, the Kids: Battling the commander # 15 Book 15 · 2001 · Tim F. LaHaye	Level 4-5	9-12	Moderate
9	The showdown 2001	Level 3-4	9-12	Moderate
10	A dangerous plan 2002	Level 4-5	9-12	Moderate
11	Escape from New Babylon Discovering New Believers 2002	Level 4-5	9-12	Mild
12	Horsemen of terror The Unseen Judgment 2002	Level 4-5	9-12	Moderate
13	Left Behind the kids: Attack of Apollyon # 19 Book 19 · 2002 · Tim F. LaHaye	Level 4-5	9-12	Moderate
14	Secrets of New Babylon 2002	Level 4-5	9-12	Mild
15	Uplink from the Underground (Left Behind. the Kids) 2002	Level 4-5	9-12	Mild
16	Breakout! 2003	Level 5	9-12	Moderate
17	Death at the gala 2003	Level 4-5	9-12	Moderate
18	Escape to Masada 2003	Level 5-6	9-12	Moderate
19	Murder in the holy place 2003	Level 5-6	9-12	Moderate
20	The beast arises 2003	Level 5-6	13+	Moderate
21	The mark of the beast 2003	Level 4-5	9-12	Moderate
22	War of the dragon 2003	Level 5-6	9-12	Moderate
23	Wildfire! 2003	Level 4-5	9-12	Intense
24	Attack on Petra 2004	Level 5-6	9-12	Moderate
25	Bounty hunters 2004	Level 5-6	9-12	Moderate
26	Heat Wave (Left Behind. the Kids) 2004	Level 5-6	9-12	Moderate
27	Ominous choices 2004	Level 5-6	9-12	Mild
28	Perils of Love (Left Behind. the Kids) 2004	Level 5-6	9-12	Moderate
29	The rise of false messiahs Carpathia's Evil Tricks 2004	Level 5-6	9-12	Moderate
30	The Road to War Facing the Guillotine (Left Behind. the Kids) 2004	Level 5-6	9-12	Moderate
31	Triumphant return 2004	Level 5-6	9-12	Moderate

Content Intensity Across the Series

Varies

Content intensity ranges from Mild to Intense across the series.

First book Latest book

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. Left Behind: The Kids (31 books by Jerry B. Jenkins) lands at a grades 3–5 reading level, with average content intensity 2.9/5. Intensity varies from book to book, so check individual ratings in the list above.

The reading-order table above lists every book with per-volume reading level, age and intensity ratings 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.

All Left Behind: The Kids Books

Darkening skies

Jerry B. Jenkins, Tim LaHaye, Chris Fabry

Darkening skies

Jerry B. Jenkins, Tim LaHaye, Chris Fabry

Level 4-5 Moderate

Left behind

Jerry B. Jenkins

Left behind

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 4-5 Intense

Nicolae High

Jerry B. Jenkins

Nicolae High

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 4-5 Moderate

The underground

Jerry B. Jenkins

The underground

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 4-5 Intense

The vanishings

Jerry B. Jenkins

The vanishings

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 5 Moderate

Judgment Day

Jerry B. Jenkins

Judgment Day

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 4-5 Mild

Left Behind the kids: Terror in the stadium # 17

Tim F. LaHaye

Left Behind the kids: Terror in the stadium # 17

Tim F. LaHaye

Level 4-5 Moderate

Left Behind, the Kids: Battling the commander # 15

Tim F. LaHaye

Left Behind, the Kids: Battling the commander # 15

Tim F. LaHaye

Level 4-5 Moderate

The showdown

Jerry B. Jenkins

The showdown

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 3-4 Moderate

A dangerous plan

Jerry B. Jenkins

A dangerous plan

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 4-5 Moderate

Escape from New Babylon

Jerry B. Jenkins

Escape from New Babylon

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 4-5 Mild

Horsemen of terror

Jerry B. Jenkins

Horsemen of terror

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 4-5 Moderate

Left Behind the kids: Attack of Apollyon # 19

Tim F. LaHaye

Left Behind the kids: Attack of Apollyon # 19

Tim F. LaHaye

Level 4-5 Moderate

Secrets of New Babylon

Jerry B. Jenkins

Secrets of New Babylon

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 4-5 Mild

Uplink from the Underground (Left Behind. the Kids)

Jerry B. Jenkins

Uplink from the Underground (Left Behind. the Kids)

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 4-5 Mild

Breakout!

Jerry B. Jenkins

Breakout!

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 5 Moderate

Death at the gala

Jerry B. Jenkins

Death at the gala

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 4-5 Moderate

Escape to Masada

Jerry B. Jenkins

Escape to Masada

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 5-6 Moderate

Murder in the holy place

Jerry B. Jenkins

Murder in the holy place

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 5-6 Moderate

The beast arises

Jerry B. Jenkins

The beast arises

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 5-6 Moderate

The mark of the beast

Jerry B. Jenkins

The mark of the beast

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 4-5 Moderate

War of the dragon

Jerry B. Jenkins

War of the dragon

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 5-6 Moderate

Wildfire!

Jerry B. Jenkins

Wildfire!

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 4-5 Intense

Attack on Petra

Jerry B. Jenkins

Attack on Petra

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 5-6 Moderate

Bounty hunters

Jerry B. Jenkins

Bounty hunters

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 5-6 Moderate

Heat Wave (Left Behind. the Kids)

Jerry B. Jenkins

Heat Wave (Left Behind. the Kids)

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 5-6 Moderate

Ominous choices

Jerry B. Jenkins

Ominous choices

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 5-6 Mild

Perils of Love (Left Behind. the Kids)

Jerry B. Jenkins

Perils of Love (Left Behind. the Kids)

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 5-6 Moderate

The rise of false messiahs

Jerry B. Jenkins

The rise of false messiahs

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 5-6 Moderate

The Road to War

Jerry B. Jenkins

The Road to War

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 5-6 Moderate

Triumphant return

Jerry B. Jenkins

Triumphant return

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 5-6 Moderate

Series Like Left Behind: The Kids: What to Read Next

Similar reading level, content intensity and themes.

Enjoy This Series in Other Languages

6 editions available in other languages.

es Spanish (6)

A Traves del Fuego / Through the Flames (Serie Dejados Atras: Los Chicos - Left Behind Series: The Kids, #3)

Jerry B. Jenkins

A Traves del Fuego / Through the Flames (Serie Dejados Atras: Los Chicos - Left Behind Series: The Kids, #3)

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 4-5

De Cara al Fuego / Facing the Future (Serie Dejados Atras: Los Chicos - Left Behind Series: The Kids, #4)

Jerry B. Jenkins

De Cara al Fuego / Facing the Future (Serie Dejados Atras: Los Chicos - Left Behind Series: The Kids, #4)

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 5-6

El Clandestino / Underground (Serie Dejados Atras: Los Chicos - Left Behind Series: The Kids, #6)

Tim F. LaHaye

El Clandestino / Underground (Serie Dejados Atras: Los Chicos - Left Behind Series: The Kids, #6)

Tim F. LaHaye

Level 4-5

Los Desaparecidos / The Missing (Serie Dejados Atras

Jerry B. Jenkins

Los Desaparecidos / The Missing (Serie Dejados Atras

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 5

Secundario Nicolas / Nicolae High (Serie Dejados Atras: Los Chicos - Left Behind Series: The Kids, #5)

Tim F. LaHaye

Secundario Nicolas / Nicolae High (Serie Dejados Atras: Los Chicos - Left Behind Series: The Kids, #5)

Tim F. LaHaye

Level 4-5

Segunda Oportunidad / Second Chance (Serie Dejados Atras: Los Chicos - Left Behind Series: The Kids, #2)

Jerry B. Jenkins

Segunda Oportunidad / Second Chance (Serie Dejados Atras: Los Chicos - Left Behind Series: The Kids, #2)

Jerry B. Jenkins

Level 4-5

Questions about the Left Behind: The Kids series

What reading level is the Left Behind: The Kids series?: Left Behind: The Kids books are at a grades 3–5 reading level (average grade level 4.7), and HootRated recommends the series for ages 9+. There are 31 books in the series.
What order should I read the Left Behind: The Kids books?: Series numbers aren't available for most Left Behind: The Kids books, so HootRated lists them by publication date: Darkening skies (1997); Left behind (1998); Nicolae High (1999); The underground (1999); The vanishings (2000); and 26 more.
What age is the Left Behind: The Kids series appropriate for?: HootRated recommends Left Behind: The Kids for ages 9+. Content is mild to intense (HootRated intensity 2–4 out of 5). Intensity varies from book to book, so check individual ratings in the list above.