Deadly Mine
Kevin Blake
Deadly Mine
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Libby, Montana
by Kevin Blake
The text is written at a 5th 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
In 1963 Montana, Les Skramstad returns home from working in the local mill and mine, unaware that the fine brown dust coating him is actually deadly asbestos. As the hidden danger looms, the story reveals the risks faced by Les and his family in their everyday lives. This gripping tale sheds light on the unseen hazards lurking in a small mining town.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 5-6 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include illness & injury, fear & anxiety, poverty & hardship. Written for readers ages 9-12.
Why we rated Deadly Mine 10ME
Deadly Mine is written at a Level 5-6 reading level (approximately 2,306 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.8 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Deadly Mine works for readers up to grade 7.8.
Read aloud, Deadly Mine takes about 15 minutes, which fits within a single read-aloud session.
We rate Deadly Mine as 10ME ("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, physical peril, social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Illness & Injury, Fear & Anxiety, Poverty & Hardship.
Thematically, Deadly Mine explores family, historical, social justice, and science & nature — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Family book clubs, classroom read-alouds, and parents who want a strong conversation hook.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, historical, social justice.
- ✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there is one more book in the Eco-Disasters series.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
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
10ME — 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
4/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
7/10Rich themes that spark meaningful family conversation. Great for book clubs and read-alouds.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
More in the Eco-Disasters Series
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781684022229
- Publisher
- Bearport Publishing
- Published
- 2017-08-01
- Type
- Nonfiction
- Word Count
- 2,306
- Read-Aloud
- ~15 min