We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
(5) Tree Line
We'll admit five is pretty high for a kids' book, but kids during Mark Twain's day must have been pretty smart to enjoy The Prince and the Pauper. Maybe it was something in the water.
The ideas and plot behind the novel are pretty simple. Two boys are born who look exactly the same, even though they're neither twins nor even related. They swap places. Hilarity ensues. Sure, that sounds easy enough, but the 16th-century language is probably what would trip most kids up. It's easy to get lost with all those thees and thous all over the place.
Aside from that, though, Twain's classic novel should be smooth sailing.