A game of chase

Name: A game of chase
Author: Marcus Emerson
ISBN: 9781493636150

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Marcus Emerson

Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja

Reading Level 4-5 LE · Mild · Emotional Ages 9-12 Balanced Read Page-Turner

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

Chase Cooper is back with another diary full of ninja adventures and middle school mysteries. When science fair projects start disappearing and turning up ruined, Chase finds himself caught in a wild treasure hunt to save the day. Packed with humor and suspense, this story keeps readers guessing who’s behind the chaos at school.

Themes

Middle SchoolFriendship Humor AdventureSchool LifeMystery

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 4-5 book with mild content intensity. Content themes include mild peril. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated A game of chase LE (Mild)

A game of chase is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 146 pages (approximately 28,260 words). Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage A game of chase on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

Read aloud, A game of chase runs about 3.1 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate A game of chase as LE (Mild, mostly emotional) because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Peril.

Thematically, A game of chase explores middle school, friendship, humor, adventure, and school life — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about middle school, friendship, humor.
✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there is one more book in the Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja series.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

LE · Mild · Emotional

Emotional

Mild ←

Physical

Mild

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Mild

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.