What reading level is Gaff?

Gaff by E. Shan Correa is at a Level 4-5 reading level (Lexile 730L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Gaff appropriate for?

Gaff is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9LE (Light — Emotional).

Gaff is fiction — Animal rescue.

Does Gaff have any content warnings?

Gaff has a HootRating of 9LE (Light — 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 Gaff?

Gaff by E. Shan Correa is 212 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Gaff

E. Shan Correa

Gaff

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by E. Shan Correa

Reading Level 4-5 9LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 4th 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

What would you do if your family was caught up in something wrong, but you wanted to make it right? Thirteen-year-old Paul Silva lives in Hawaii, where his family is involved in illegal cockfighting. Can he find a way to change their lives before it's too late?

Themes

FamilyAnimalsComing of Age Adventure Social Justice

Quick Assessment

Gaff follows thirteen-year-old Paul Silva as he navigates the challenges of his family's involvement in illegal cockfighting in Hawaii. Aimed at middle-grade readers, this book explores themes of family loyalty, personal courage, and moral choices. The story is appropriate for ages 9-12 and contains no graphic content, but parents should be aware of the subject matter involving illegal activities.

Why we rated Gaff 9LE

Gaff is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 730L across 212 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Gaff works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Gaff as 9LE ("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, Gaff explores family, animals, coming of age, adventure, and social justice — 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.
✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, animals, coming of age.