Chasers
Brian Farrey
Chasers
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Brian Farrey
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
Evan and Davis sprint through the crowded streets, hearts pounding as danger closes in behind them. Their secret group, the Chasers, holds the key to understanding their past and who they truly are. But can they survive the night when everything they believe in is at risk?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Chasers follows two eighteen-year-old best friends exploring their identities and learning about gay history through a community center group. Set in Madison, Wisconsin, the story touches on themes of friendship, self-discovery, and the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth, including the potential for violence. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book contains moderate emotional intensity related to identity and social conflict.
Why we rated Chasers 12ME
Chasers is written at a Level 7 reading level across 352 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Chasers works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Chasers 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, physical peril, social complexity — 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, Chasers explores lgbtq+ representation, friendship, coming of age, social justice, and juvenile fiction — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about lgbtq+ representation, friendship, coming of age.
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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781442417601
- Pages
- 352
- Publisher
- Simon Pulse
- Published
- 2011
- Type
- Fiction