Disappearances
Howard Frank Mosher
Disappearances
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Howard Frank Mosher
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
What if you had to break the rules to keep your family safe during the coldest winter ever? Imagine a fourteen-year-old learning the secret family trade of smuggling whiskey through snowy Vermont forests. But when danger lurks at every turn, will they make it through the harsh winter together?
Quick Assessment
Set during the harsh winter of 1932-33, this middle-grade novel follows Quebec Bill Bonhomme and his fourteen-year-old son as they return to whiskey smuggling to support their farm. The story explores themes of family loyalty and survival in rural Vermont, appropriate for ages 9-12 with mild peril linked to smuggling activities. Parents should note some references to illegal activities but no graphic content.
Why we rated Disappearances 11LE
Disappearances is written at a Level 6 reading level across 255 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Disappearances works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Disappearances as 11LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, Disappearances explores family, historical, adventure, and survival — 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 family, historical, adventure.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0670273589
- Pages
- 255
- Publisher
- New York : Viking Press
- Published
- 1977
- Type
- Fiction