Fatal Bargain
Caroline B. Cooney
Fatal Bargain
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Caroline B. Cooney
The text is written at a 5th 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
Trapped overnight in a spooky mansion, six teenagers face a terrifying dilemma: to escape the clutches of a vampire, they must decide who will become the next prey. As fear and suspicion grow, their friendships are tested in a race against time to survive the night.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 5-6 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include fear & anxiety, fantasy violence, physical danger. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated Fatal Bargain 10ME
Fatal Bargain is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 176 pages (approximately 36,960 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.1 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Fatal Bargain works for readers up to grade 7.1.
Read aloud, Fatal Bargain runs about 4.1 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Fatal Bargain 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 — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Fear & Anxiety, Fantasy Violence, Physical Danger.
Thematically, Fatal Bargain explores friendship, adventure, fantasy world-building, and survival — 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.
- ✓ Readers who like a steady plot with enough momentum to keep pages turning.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, adventure, fantasy world-building.
- ✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 2 more books in the Vampire's Promise series.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
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
5/10Engaging read with solid pacing and interesting themes.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0439553970
- Pages
- 176
- Publisher
- Scholastic Paperbacks
- Published
- September 1, 2003
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 36,960
- Read-Aloud
- ~4h 6m
- Text Density
- Standard