My son used this book with a student who was older but it helped her comprehension. She loved this story. It helped her to build her vocabulary, use context clues, and use clues to predict the stories. The author provides a map in the front that provided a great visual reference for my son. They were able to practice mapping skills and do many activities based on the story. It is a good series if children are not ready for the Harry Potter series. For the elders I would recommend-Giorgio Kostantinos-The Quest or anything by Dan Brown