Dark river
Mary Jane Beaufrand
Dark river
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Mary Jane Beaufrand
The text is written at a 6th 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 cold splash of river water chills your skin, and the whisper of leaves hides secrets in the air. Ronnie’s small town feels silent—almost too quiet—until a terrible discovery breaks the stillness. Now, with every step deeper into the woods, the mystery pulls her closer to a truth that won’t let go.
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade mystery follows Ronnie, a city girl who moves to rural Oregon and uncovers the tragic death of a child she babysits. The story explores themes of grief, community, and determination as Ronnie seeks to solve the murder. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book contains some suspenseful and emotionally intense moments but no graphic content.
Why we rated Dark river 11ME
Dark river is written at a Level 6 reading level across 224 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Dark river works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Dark river as 11ME ("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, Dark river explores mystery, friendship, coming of age, family, and adventure — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about mystery, 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.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — 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
3/10A 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
- 9780316199056
- Pages
- 224
- Publisher
- Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Published
- 2012
- Type
- Fiction