Believing Game
Eireann Corrigan
Believing Game
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Eireann Corrigan
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
What happens when a secret cult leader sneaks into your life at a strict academy? Greer Cannon thought leaving her old troubles behind would bring peace, but instead she finds herself tangled in mysterious loyalties and dangerous secrets. Can she uncover the truth before it’s too late?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Believing Game is a young adult novel centered on Greer, a teenager sent to a therapeutic academy after shoplifting. The story explores themes of manipulation and trust as Greer becomes involved with a charismatic mentor and his followers. Suitable for teens 13 and older, it contains moderate emotional intensity and addresses complex social dynamics related to cult influence and personal safety.
Why we rated Believing Game 12ME
Believing Game is written at a Level 7 reading level across 379 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Believing Game works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Believing Game as 12ME ("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, social complexity, 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, Believing Game explores family, health & daily living, diseases, illnesses & injuries, coming of age, and social justice — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, health & daily living, diseases, illnesses & injuries.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12ME — 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
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780545392242
- Pages
- 379
- Publisher
- Scholastic Inc.
- Published
- 2012
- Type
- Fiction