Deadly little games
Laurie Faria Stolarz
Deadly little games
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Touch Novel
by Laurie Faria Stolarz
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Camelia and Ben, two high school juniors, uncover a mysterious psychic connection that lets them glimpse the future through touch. As their powers grow stronger, they face a dangerous threat that puts a friend’s life in jeopardy, forcing Camelia to choose between loyalty and safety. Filled with suspense and emotional twists, their journey tests trust and courage in unexpected ways.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 4-5 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include fear & anxiety, suicide, family change. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated Deadly little games 9ME
Deadly little games is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 297 pages (approximately 56,215 words). Strong independent readers around grade 5.7 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Deadly little games works for readers up to grade 6.7.
Read aloud, Deadly little games runs about 6.3 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Deadly little games as 9ME ("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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Fear & Anxiety, Suicide, Family Change.
Thematically, Deadly little games explores psychic ability, high schools, family, friendship, and romance — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Readers who like a steady plot with enough momentum to keep pages turning.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about psychic ability, high schools, family.
- ✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 2 more books in the Touch series.
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
9ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
5/10Engaging read with solid pacing and interesting themes.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
More in the Touch Series
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781423131601
- Pages
- 297
- Publisher
- Hyperion
- Published
- 2010
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 56,215
- Read-Aloud
- ~6h 15m
- Text Density
- Standard