HootRated mascot HootRated

Going rogue

Robin Benway

Cover of Going rogue

Going rogue

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

an Also known as novel

by Robin Benway

Reading Level 7 12ME Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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.

We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.

About This Book

What would you do if your parents were accused of a crime they didn’t commit? Maggie Silver is a safecracker undercover at a New York City high school, juggling tricky friendships and locker combinations. But when danger strikes, she must race to Paris with her friends to save her family—and no one knows if they’ll make it out safe.

Themes

AdventureMysteryFriendshipLove & RomanceSocial Issues

Quick Assessment

Going Rogue follows 16-year-old Maggie Silver, an undercover operative and skilled safecracker, as she navigates the challenges of high school alongside a high-stakes mission to clear her parents’ names. This middle-grade novel blends adventure, mystery, and themes of friendship and loyalty, suitable for readers aged 9-12. Parents should note some suspenseful moments and mild peril as Maggie and her friends face dangerous situations.

Why we rated Going rogue 12ME

Going rogue is written at a Level 7 reading level across 308 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Going rogue works for readers up to grade 9.0.

We rate Going rogue 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, physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Peril.

Thematically, Going rogue explores adventure, mystery, friendship, love & romance, and social issues — 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.
  • Kids drawn to stories about adventure, mystery, friendship.

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 — Emotional
Emotional
Moderate
Physical
Moderate
Social
Light
Thematic
Light

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.

Content Flags

Mild Peril
Data confidence: standard

Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

3/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

2/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
6
Emotional Weight
6
Theme Richness
6
World Scope
7
Data Confidence
7

Similar Books

Based on content and theme analysis

See all books like this →

Details

Book Length

308 pages
ISBN
9780802736048
Pages
308
Publisher
Walker Childrens
Published
2014
Type
Fiction

Subjects

Social IssuesLove & RomanceAdventure and AdventurersMysteries & Detective StoriesSpiesAdventure StoriesHigh SchoolsSchoolsFriendshipSpy StoriesSchool StoriesAdventure FictionGeheim AgentenJeugdboeken ; VerhalenAmerican LiteratureAmourEnquêtes

Places

New York (State)New York (N.Y.)New York