Finder
Emma Bull
Finder
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Novel of the Borderlands
by Emma Bull
The text is written at a 7th 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
What if you lived in a city where humans, elves, and halflings all mixed, but magic and danger lurked around every corner? Imagine using a special talent to find lost things while a mysterious sickness spreads and a shadowy killer strikes. Can you uncover secrets before the darkness takes over?
Quick Assessment
Set in a unique urban fantasy world where humans and magical creatures coexist, this middle-grade novel follows a young finder named Orient who helps solve a mysterious murder amid spreading plague and social tensions. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story blends fantasy elements with themes of survival and community challenges. Parents should note mild peril and some darker themes related to crime and illness.
Why we rated Finder 12ME
Finder is written at a Level 7 reading level across 317 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Finder works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Finder as 12ME ("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, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Peril, Mystery, Disease.
Thematically, Finder explores fantasy world-building, mystery, adventure, coming of age, and multicultural — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about fantasy world-building, mystery, adventure.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12ME — 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
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780765347770
- Pages
- 317
- Publisher
- Macmillan
- Published
- July 13, 2003
- Type
- Fiction