Coyote Lost and Found
Dan Gemeinhart
Coyote Lost and Found
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Dan Gemeinhart
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
Coyote is about to take the road trip of a lifetime—but this time, it's not just any adventure. She's on a secret mission to find a lost book that holds her mom’s final resting place. Can she keep this from her dad and solve the mystery before it’s too late?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Coyote and her father on a heartfelt cross-country journey to scatter her mother’s ashes. Tackling themes of grief, family bonds, and self-discovery, it offers a moving story appropriate for ages 9-12, with sensitive handling of loss and healing. The story includes moments of emotional depth but remains hopeful and uplifting throughout.
Why we rated Coyote Lost and Found 12ME
Coyote Lost and Found is written at a Level 7 reading level across 304 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Coyote Lost and Found works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Coyote Lost and Found 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 — 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, Coyote Lost and Found explores grief, family, adventure, coming of age, and friendship — 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 grief, family, adventure.
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
2/10A 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
- 9781250361974
- Pages
- 304
- Publisher
- Square Fish
- Published
- 2025
- Type
- Fiction