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Crashing the party

Perdita Finn

Cover of Crashing the party

Crashing the party

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Perdita Finn

Illustrated by Dorman, Brandon, illustrator

Reading Level 4-5 9MS Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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

Imagine crashing a party where every guest is from a different time—because this isn't just any party, it's a time-traveling adventure! Perdita Finn's story shows how one bold move can shake up the rules of aristocracy and school life. Discover why fitting in might be the biggest challenge of all.

Themes

Middle schoolsAristocracy (Social class)SchoolsTime travelFriendshipComing of Age

Quick Assessment

Crashing the Party follows a middle-grade protagonist navigating the complexities of social class and school life through a unique time travel twist. Suitable for ages 9-12, this book explores themes of friendship, identity, and social structures in an engaging way. Parents should note the story involves some historical and social class concepts but is appropriate for middle-grade readers.

Why we rated Crashing the party 9MS

Crashing the party is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 109 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Crashing the party works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Crashing the party as 9MS ("Moderate — Social") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. The strongest signals come from 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 mild intensity score.

Thematically, Crashing the party explores middle schools, aristocracy (social class), schools, time travel, 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.
  • Kids drawn to stories about middle schools, aristocracy (social class), schools.

Maybe not for

  • ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

9MS — Moderate — Social
Emotional
Light
Physical
Clear
Social
Moderate
Thematic
Light

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

1/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

2/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
4
Emotional Weight
4
Theme Richness
6
World Scope
3
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

109 pages
ISBN
9780439744362
Pages
109
Publisher
Scholastic
Published
2007
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Middle SchoolsAristocracySchoolsTime Travel

Places

France