What reading level is Among the Barons?

Among the Barons by Margaret Peterson Haddix is at a Level 4-5 reading level (Lexile 710L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Among the Barons appropriate for?

Among the Barons is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9LP (Light — Physical). Content flags: Mild Peril.

What genre is Among the Barons?

Among the Barons is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does Among the Barons have any content warnings?

Among the Barons has a HootRating of 9LP (Light — Physical). Content flags include: Mild Peril. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Among the Barons?

Among the Barons by Margaret Peterson Haddix is 182 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Among the Barons

Margaret Peterson Haddix

Among the Barons

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

Shadow Children #4

by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Reading Level 4-5 9LP Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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.

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About This Book

What would you do if you had to hide your true identity just to stay with your family? Luke Garner has lived in secret as Lee Grant at a school for boys, but when his little brother Smits shows up, everything gets tangled in lies. Can Luke keep his secret safe, or will the truth catch up to him?

Themes

BrothersScience FictionFamilyTrustIdentity

Quick Assessment

Among the Barons follows Luke Garner, an illegal third child in a society with strict family rules, who navigates life at a boys' school under a false identity. This middle-grade science fiction novel explores themes of family loyalty, trust, and identity, suitable for readers ages 9-12. The story includes mild suspense and themes of secrecy but contains no graphic content.

Why we rated Among the Barons 9LP

Among the Barons is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 710L across 182 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Among the Barons works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Among the Barons as 9LP ("Light — Physical") 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, Among the Barons explores brothers, science fiction, family, trust, and identity — 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 brothers, science fiction, family.