What reading level is Department 19?

Department 19 by Will Hill is at a Level 6-7 reading level (Lexile 910L). Recommended for Upper Grades readers (Ages 13+).

What age is Department 19 appropriate for?

Department 19 is recommended for Ages 13+. HootRating: 11ME (Moderate — Emotional).

What genre is Department 19?

Department 19 is fiction — Young Adult Fiction.

Does Department 19 have any content warnings?

Department 19 has a HootRating of 11ME (Moderate — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Department 19?

Department 19 by Will Hill is 590 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Department 19

Will Hill

Department 19

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

Battle lines

by Will Hill

Reading Level 6-7 11ME Ages 13+ Balanced Read

The text is written at a 6th 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

Jamie Carpenter’s life is flipped upside down when he’s saved by a giant named Frankenstein and drawn into a secret team battling monsters like vampires and Dracula himself. This isn’t just any adventure—it’s a thrilling fight against darkness that spans centuries and continents. Can Jamie survive the shadows lurking from Victorian London to icy Russia? The stakes have never been higher.

Themes

Adventure Fantasy World-Building Mystery Coming of Age Friendship

Quick Assessment

Department 19 follows teenager Jamie Carpenter as he joins a covert organization tasked with fighting supernatural threats, including vampires and legendary creatures. Suitable for teens aged 13 and up, this book combines historical settings with horror and suspense elements. Parents should note the presence of classic horror themes, including violence and supernatural peril, but it remains appropriate for mature young readers interested in thrilling fantasy fiction.

Why we rated Department 19 11ME

Department 19 is written at a Level 6-7 reading level with a Lexile measure of 910L across 590 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Department 19 works for readers up to grade 8.5.

We rate Department 19 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, physical peril — 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, Department 19 explores adventure, fantasy world-building, mystery, coming of age, and friendship — 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.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, fantasy world-building, mystery.