HootRated mascot HootRated

Hannah and Horatio Pea

Sally Noble

Cover of Hannah and Horatio Pea

Hannah and Horatio Pea

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Sally Noble

Reading Level 7 12ME Ages 13+ Balanced Read

The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), 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

The hospital buzzes with urgent whispers as a tiny girl clutches her only friend, Bear, but she can’t say where she came from. Andrew’s secret connection to her deepens the mystery, while Hannah’s strange ability to predict the future raises more questions. Suddenly, Horatio Pea’s surprising growth hints at adventures—and dangers—just beginning.

Quick Assessment

This novel follows the Leigh family and their encounters with a mysterious young girl found wandering alone, sparking a series of adventures along the Cornish coast. Targeted at readers aged 13-18, the story blends elements of family, mystery, and adventure, with some medical and suspenseful moments. Parents should note themes involving hospital visits, family dynamics, and mild peril.

Why we rated Hannah and Horatio Pea 12ME

Hannah and Horatio Pea is written at a Level 7 reading level across 336 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Hannah and Horatio Pea works for readers up to grade 9.0.

We rate Hannah and Horatio Pea 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, 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, Hannah and Horatio Pea explores mystery, family, adventure, and friendship — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

  • Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
  • Kids drawn to stories about mystery, family, adventure.

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
Light
Social
Clear
Thematic
Moderate

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

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

3/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
6
Emotional Weight
6
Theme Richness
4
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

Similar Books

Based on content and theme analysis

See all books like this →

Details

Book Length

336 pages
ISBN
9781844016730
Pages
336
Publisher
Athena PressPub Company
Published
July 17, 2006
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Crime & MysteryAction & AdventureMysteries, Espionage, & Detective StoriesMysteries & Detective Stories