Dig Too Deep
Amy Allgeyer
Dig Too Deep
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Amy Allgeyer
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
Here's a secret: the water in Ebbottsville isn't just strange—it's glowing orange, and the people there are getting sick. Liberty thought moving to her granny's house would mean a fresh start, but the deeper she digs, the more danger she finds. And that's only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows seventeen-year-old Liberty as she moves to rural Kentucky to live with her grandmother amidst community hardships linked to coal mining. It addresses themes of environmental pollution, illness, and family challenges, including a mother facing legal trouble. Suitable for ages 9-12, it explores complex topics like activism and moral choices in a way accessible to this age group.
Why we rated Dig Too Deep 11ME
Dig Too Deep is written at a Level 6 reading level across 272 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Dig Too Deep works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Dig Too Deep 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, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Environmental Pollution, Illness, Family Conflict, Activism.
Thematically, Dig Too Deep explores family, social justice, environmental issues, coming of age, and mystery — 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, social justice, environmental issues.
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.
Content Flags
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
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780807515815
- Pages
- 272
- Publisher
- AW Teen
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction