Animus
Antoine J. D. Revoy
Animus
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Antoine J. D. Revoy
The text is written at a 6th 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
This playground hides a secret darker than anyone could imagine—a monster with snaggle teeth lurks where children play. Two brave friends decide to face this spooky force head-on, but what they uncover changes everything. Sometimes, the scariest places are the ones you think you know best.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Animus is a middle-grade graphic novel that explores paranormal themes through the story of two children confronting eerie forces in their local playground. Inspired by Japanese and French comics, it blends supernatural suspense with themes of friendship and courage, suitable for ages 9-12. Parents should note the presence of ghostly apparitions and mild spooky elements typical of haunted place stories.
Why we rated Animus 11LE
Animus is written at a Level 6 reading level across 221 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Animus works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Animus as 11LE ("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, Animus explores friendship, adventure, mystery, haunted places, and graphic novels — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, adventure, mystery.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781626721838
- Pages
- 221
- Publisher
- First Second Books
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction