What reading level is Hank Zipzer?

Hank Zipzer by Maryrose Wood is at a Level 5-6 reading level (Lexile 850L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Hank Zipzer appropriate for?

Hank Zipzer is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 10LE (Light — Emotional).

What genre is Hank Zipzer?

Hank Zipzer is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does Hank Zipzer have any content warnings?

Hank Zipzer has a HootRating of 10LE (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 Hank Zipzer?

Hank Zipzer by Maryrose Wood is 404 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Hank Zipzer

Maryrose Wood

Hank Zipzer

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

The Unmapped Sea

by Maryrose Wood

Illustrated by Wheeler, Eliza, illustrator

Reading Level 5-6 10LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 5th 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

The salty breeze of the sea mixes with the crunch of winter waves against the shore. Penelope and the wild Incorrigible children have come to Brighton, hoping a mysterious old sailor can break the strange wolfish curse haunting their family. But when another fierce family appears by the icy sea, the air crackles with secrets waiting to be uncovered.

Themes

Adventure Mystery Family Fantasy World-Building

Quick Assessment

This fifth installment in Maryrose Wood’s Victorian mystery series follows Penelope as she takes the three feral children to Brighton in search of clues to end a family curse. Geared toward readers ages 9-12, the story blends humor, mystery, and supernatural elements with light suspense appropriate for middle-grade audiences. Themes include family dynamics, adventure, and self-discovery, with no intense content concerns.

Why we rated Hank Zipzer 10LE

Hank Zipzer is written at a Level 5-6 reading level with a Lexile measure of 850L across 404 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 6.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Hank Zipzer works for readers up to grade 7.5.

We rate Hank Zipzer as 10LE ("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, Hank Zipzer explores adventure, mystery, family, and fantasy world-building — 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, family.