What reading level is Chasing secrets?

Chasing secrets by Gennifer Choldenko is at a Level 3 reading level (Lexile 540L). Recommended for Lower Grades readers (Ages 5-8).

What age is Chasing secrets appropriate for?

Chasing secrets is recommended for Ages 5-8. HootRating: 8ME (Moderate — Emotional).

What genre is Chasing secrets?

Chasing secrets is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does Chasing secrets have any content warnings?

Chasing secrets has a HootRating of 8ME (Moderate — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Chasing secrets?

Chasing secrets by Gennifer Choldenko is 278 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Chasing secrets

Gennifer Choldenko

Chasing secrets

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Gennifer Choldenko

Reading Level 3 8ME Ages 5-8 Heads Up

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.

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About This Book

What would you do if your best friend's dad was trapped in a dangerous place and no one was allowed in or out? Lizzie and Noah face a scary plague in 1900 San Francisco's Chinatown, and they have to be brave to save the people they love. Can they keep their secret and find a way to help before it's too late?

Themes

Multicultural Friendship Family Historical

Quick Assessment

Set in 1900 San Francisco during a plague outbreak, this historical fiction follows thirteen-year-old Lizzie and her friend Noah as they attempt to rescue his father from quarantine in Chinatown. Suitable for early readers ages 5-8, the story touches on themes of friendship, family bonds, and cultural history, with some mild peril related to illness and quarantine. Parents should note the historical setting includes references to a serious health crisis and community challenges.

Why we rated Chasing secrets 8ME

Chasing secrets is written at a Level 3 reading level with a Lexile measure of 540L across 278 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 4.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Chasing secrets works for readers up to grade 5.0.

We rate Chasing secrets as 8ME ("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 — 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, Chasing secrets explores multicultural, friendship, family, and historical — 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 5-8 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 multicultural, friendship, family.

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.