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Everything has its price

Hans Hellmut Kirst

Cover of Everything has its price

Everything has its price

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Hans Hellmut Kirst

Reading Level 6 11MT Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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

There’s a secret hidden in every choice people make, and sometimes the cost is more than anyone expects. Imagine discovering that every action you take has a price that echoes far beyond what you see. But that's only the beginning.

Themes

Literary FictionMoral ComplexityComing of Age

Quick Assessment

Everything Has Its Price by Hans Hellmut Kirst is a middle-grade literary fiction book exploring the consequences of choices through a compelling narrative. Suitable for readers aged 9-12, it offers thoughtful themes without intense or graphic content. Parents should note this title encourages reflection on moral complexity in an age-appropriate way.

Why we rated Everything has its price 11MT

Everything has its price is written at a Level 6 reading level across 280 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Everything has its price works for readers up to grade 8.0.

We rate Everything has its price as 11MT ("Moderate — Thematic") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. The strongest signals come from thematic difficulty — 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 mild intensity score.

Thematically, Everything has its price explores literary fiction, moral complexity, and coming of age — 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 literary fiction, moral complexity, coming of age.

Maybe not for

  • ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

11MT — Moderate — Thematic
Emotional
Light
Physical
Clear
Social
Clear
Thematic
Moderate

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

1/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

2/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
5
Emotional Weight
4
Theme Richness
3
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

280 pages
ISBN
0698107195
Pages
280
Publisher
Coward McCann
Published
1976
Type
Fiction

Subjects

Literary