What reading level is Flashpoint?

Flashpoint by Gordon Korman is at a Level 4-5 reading level (Lexile 790L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Flashpoint appropriate for?

Flashpoint is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9ME (Moderate — Emotional).

What genre is Flashpoint?

Flashpoint is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does Flashpoint have any content warnings?

Flashpoint has a HootRating of 9ME (Moderate — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Flashpoint?

Flashpoint by Gordon Korman is 222 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated July 16, 2026

Flashpoint

Gordon Korman

Flashpoint

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Gordon Korman

Reading Level 4-5 9ME Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 4th 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 only had a few days to live and the cure was hidden all over the world? Fifteen-year-old Amy Cahill races against time, collecting mysterious ingredients while facing dangers at every turn. But stopping a powerful villain might cost her everything — can she save the world before it's too late?

Themes

Adventure FamilyBrothers and SistersJuvenile Fiction

Quick Assessment

Flashpoint follows fifteen-year-old Amy Cahill as she embarks on a global quest to find ingredients for a life-saving antidote. Alongside her younger brother, she faces perilous challenges while trying to stop a dangerous antagonist from gaining ultimate power. Suitable for middle-grade readers, this adventure story explores themes of bravery, family bonds, and sacrifice without graphic content.

Why we rated Flashpoint 9ME

Flashpoint is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 790L across 222 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Flashpoint works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Flashpoint as 9ME ("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.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.

Thematically, Flashpoint explores adventure, family, brothers and sisters, and juvenile fiction — 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 adventure, family, brothers and sisters.

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.