Keeper of the Lost Cities
by Shannon Messenger
Reviewed by Shravan
February 16, 2026
Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger: age rating 8+, (reading level grades 3-7). An amazing fantasy/adventure series for kids who love Harry Potter and want something new. This series is perfect for 8-13 year olds.
Keeper of the Lost Cities is just an amazing series. Words cannot describe how much I love this series. There is so much detail, description and adventure. This series takes you to a whole other world, where every elf has a “special ability”.
Sophie is a little bit different than the other elves. She was born and raised among humans, and was only discovered at the age of 12. The elves move her to their home, the Lost Cities. Sophie has to learn and adapt to the ways of the elves, going to school, their lifestyle, and their laws. If Sophie can’t learn to control herself and adapt, she may find one of the most integral parts of her taken away.
Like I said before, I absolutely love this series, so I can easily rate this series 5 Stars. Because this series has long but easy to follow books, I can give this series an age rating of 8+.
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Common Questions About Keeper of the Lost Cities
What age is Keeper of the Lost Cities appropriate for?
Keeper of the Lost Cities is recommended for ages 8-10 (Grades 3rd-5th). The series has some really emotional moments and complex plots that work best for confident readers aged 8 and up. It's one of those series that keeps getting better — my personal favorite books in the series are the later ones where the stakes really ramp up.
What reading level is Keeper of the Lost Cities?
The series is at a Grades 3rd-5th reading level. I know the books look intimidating because they're 500-800 pages each, but don't let that scare your kid off — the writing is super accessible and flows really well. Once they get into it, those pages fly by.
How many books are in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series?
There are 9 books in the main Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger, with a 10th book expected. Definitely read them in publication order — the story builds from book to book and the world-building is honestly incredible.
Is Keeper of the Lost Cities like Harry Potter?
They share some similarities — both have a young protagonist discovering a hidden magical world. But Keeper of the Lost Cities has a female lead, more complex world-building, and a romantic subplot that a lot of readers love. If your kid finished Harry Potter and wants something similar but longer and different enough to feel fresh, this is the one I'd recommend. It's also on BookVine along with The Unwanteds, which gets similar comparisons.
Keeper of the Lost Cities is recommended for ages 8 - 10 (Grades 3rd - 5th) with Lexile scores ranging from 670L to 890L.