A Nasty Piece of Work (Gryphon Books)
Lance Salway
A Nasty Piece of Work (Gryphon Books)
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
And Other Ghost Stories
by Lance Salway
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.
We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.
About This Book
Here’s a secret: Martin never believed in ghosts or magic—until his neighbor Oliver’s room changed from planes to pictures of werewolves and spells. One night, something terrifying visits Martin’s room, and suddenly, the unbelievable feels very real. But that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This collection of seven chilling stories is perfect for middle-grade readers who enjoy a spooky twist. The tales explore themes of belief, fear, and the supernatural, with eerie but age-appropriate suspense and mild scares. Suitable for children ages 9-12, the stories contain supernatural elements but avoid graphic content.
Why we rated A Nasty Piece of Work (Gryphon Books) 9LE
A Nasty Piece of Work (Gryphon Books) is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 128 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, A Nasty Piece of Work (Gryphon Books) works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate A Nasty Piece of Work (Gryphon Books) as 9LE ("Light — 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.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, A Nasty Piece of Work (Gryphon Books) explores fiction, mystery, supernatural, and friendship — 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about fiction, mystery, supernatural.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
Similar Books
Based on content and theme analysis
Beastly bones
William Ritter
Beastly bones
William Ritter
Werewolves and Other Monsters
Thomas G. Aylesworth
Werewolves and Other Monsters
Thomas G. Aylesworth
Nasty Nature
Nick Arnold
Nasty Nature
Nick Arnold
Book of Ghosts and Goblins
Ruth Manning-Sanders
Book of Ghosts and Goblins
Ruth Manning-Sanders
NASTYbook CD
Barry Yourgrau
NASTYbook CD
Barry Yourgrau
That's Spooky
Aaron Frisch
That's Spooky
Aaron Frisch
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0719545072
- Pages
- 128
- Publisher
- John Murray
- Published
- June 1, 1988
- Type
- Fiction