Freeks
Amanda Hocking
Freeks
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Amanda Hocking
The text is written at a 7th 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
Here's a secret: Mara isn’t like other girls—she’s part of a magical carnival where people can levitate and predict the future. When she arrives in a quiet town and meets Gabe, things seem normal for the first time, but a dark shadow is creeping closer. Mara has only seven days to unlock a hidden power and save everyone she loves, but that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Freeks is a middle-grade fantasy novel about Mara, a girl traveling with a supernatural carnival who faces a dark threat in a small town. The story explores themes of friendship, self-discovery, and supernatural abilities, suitable for readers aged 9-12. Parents should note mild fantasy peril and some suspenseful moments, but the content remains appropriate for this age group.
Why we rated Freeks 12LE
Freeks is written at a Level 7 reading level across 387 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Freeks works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Freeks as 12LE ("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, Freeks explores supernatural, friendship, coming of age, adventure, and love — 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 supernatural, friendship, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LE — 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
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781250084774
- Pages
- 387
- Publisher
- St. Martin's Griffin
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction