Beware, This House Is Haunted!
Lance Salway
Beware, This House Is Haunted!
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
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.
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About This Book
Jessica’s heart pounds as the old house creaks louder than ever. Shadows flicker in the corners, and a mischievous giggle echoes through the halls. But who—or what—is really trying to scare her family away?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade horror fiction follows Jessica and her blended family as they move into a vacation home haunted by the ghost of a spoiled little girl. Suitable for ages 9 to 12, it gently explores themes of family adjustment and spooky adventure without graphic content. The story contains mild supernatural scares appropriate for young readers who enjoy light horror.
Why we rated Beware, This House Is Haunted! 9LE
Beware, This House Is Haunted! is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 129 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Beware, This House Is Haunted! works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Beware, This House Is Haunted! 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, Beware, This House Is Haunted! explores children's fiction, horror stories, family, and adventure — 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 children's fiction, horror stories, family.
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
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780590433907
- Pages
- 129
- Publisher
- Scholastic Paperbacks
- Published
- October 1990
- Type
- Fiction