Dead and gone
Norah McClintock
Dead and gone
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Norah McClintock
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
There’s a secret buried deep beneath the ground—a secret that’s been hidden for years. Suddenly, it’s uncovered, and everything Mike thought he knew starts to unravel. But that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade mystery follows Mike as he faces the unsettling discovery of human remains linked to an old murder case, challenging his sense of safety and trust. The story touches on themes of foster care and complex social dynamics, appropriate for ages 9-12, with some emotional tension and mild peril. Parents should note the presence of mystery and crime elements that might prompt discussions about safety and trust.
Why we rated Dead and gone 11ME
Dead and gone is written at a Level 6 reading level across 215 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Dead and gone works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Dead and gone 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, 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, Dead and gone explores mystery, foster care, homicide, 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about mystery, foster care, homicide.
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
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
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781467726078
- Pages
- 215
- Publisher
- Darby Creek
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction