At the house of the magician
Mary Hooper
At the house of the magician
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Mary Hooper
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Lucy darts through the shadowy halls of Dr. John Dee's grand house, heart pounding as footsteps echo behind her. She's found something no one was meant to see—something dangerous that could change the fate of the queen herself. But will she get the chance to warn Elizabeth before it's too late?
Quick Assessment
Set in Elizabethan England, this historical fiction follows Lucy, a young girl who escapes her troubled home to become a maid for Dr. John Dee, a real historical figure and court magician. The story involves themes of danger and secrets, suitable for middle-grade readers aged 9-12. Parents should note the depiction of a drunken parent and suspenseful elements but can expect an age-appropriate adventure with historical context.
Why we rated At the house of the magician 11ME
At the house of the magician is written at a Level 6 reading level across 231 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, At the house of the magician works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate At the house of the magician as 11ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, At the house of the magician explores historical, adventure, mystery, and coming of age — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about historical, adventure, mystery.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781599906690
- Pages
- 231
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing USA
- Published
- 2010
- Type
- Fiction