
Age rating and parents' guide:The City of Ember
by Jeanne DuPrau
Ages 9–14
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau is best for children aged 9–14. It has mild violence, some scary moments, no romance and no bad language.
Lina and Doon race to decipher an ancient message before their underground city’s failing lights go out forever.
Content ratings
How much of each a parent can expect, from none to strong.
- Violence
- Mild
- Scary moments
- Moderate
- Romance
- None
- Bad language
- None
Content checked by Dhiraj Bodade, co-founder of Bookstaken, on .
At a glance
- Novel
- Part of the Book of Ember series
- A steady start that picks up quickly
- Mostly text
- Some emotionally heavy moments
- A good pick for reluctant readers
Reading mood
- Suspenseful
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