Black bird of the gallows
Meg Kassel
Black bird of the gallows
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Meg Kassel
The text is written at a 7th 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
The sharp, cold wind carries whispers of something dark and mysterious as Angie senses the air thicken with danger. The quiet town hides secrets darker than anyone imagines, and the shadow of death looms closer with every heartbeat. Love and fear twist together when Angie meets Reece—who is more than just a boy—and everything she thought she knew shatters.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade paranormal romance explores themes of death, good versus evil, and young love through the story of Angie, a girl caught in a supernatural battle after discovering unsettling truths about her town and a mysterious boy named Reece. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book contains mild suspense and addresses mature themes like mortality and supernatural conflict in an age-appropriate way. Parents should be aware of the paranormal content and the emotional intensity tied to the story's darker elements.
Why we rated Black bird of the gallows 12ME
Black bird of the gallows is written at a Level 7 reading level across 309 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Black bird of the gallows works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Black bird of the gallows 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, 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, Black bird of the gallows explores romance, paranormal fiction, good and evil, death, and love — 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 romance, paranormal fiction, good and evil.
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
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781633758148
- Pages
- 309
- Publisher
- Entangled: Teen
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction