Hacked
Tracy Alexander
Hacked
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Tracy Alexander
The text is written at a 6th 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
Here’s a secret: Dan’s knack for computers started with a simple thrill—free phone credit from a clever hack. But when someone named Angel asks for his help with a new challenge, Dan soon realizes this game might be more dangerous than he ever imagined. And that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Hacked is a middle-grade mystery about Dan, a boy with ADHD who discovers his talent for coding leads him into a risky situation involving potential cybercrime and a terror threat. The story explores themes of anonymity, responsibility, and ethical decision-making, suited for ages 9-12. Parents should note the book deals with complex issues like hacking and terrorism in a manner appropriate for middle-grade readers.
Why we rated Hacked 11ME
Hacked is written at a Level 6 reading level across 288 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Hacked works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Hacked as 11ME ("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.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Hacked explores mystery, friendship, identity & self-discovery, technology, and ethics — 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 mystery, friendship, identity & self-discovery.
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.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" 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
- 9781848124141
- Pages
- 288
- Publisher
- Hacked
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction