Haunted house
Norah Lofts
Haunted house
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Norah Lofts
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
What secrets hide behind the locked attic door at Gad's Hall? A powerful, ancient evil once trapped inside is stirring again, waiting to haunt the new family. Could the Spenders be the next to face its terrifying grip?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade mystery thriller explores a haunted house with a dark secret tied to a sinister force that threatens the new occupants. Suitable for ages 9-12, it contains suspenseful and eerie moments but no graphic content. Parents should note the presence of supernatural themes and tension typical of ghost stories.
Why we rated Haunted house 11MT
Haunted house is written at a Level 6 reading level across 269 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Haunted house works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Haunted house as 11MT ("Moderate — Thematic") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from 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, Haunted house explores mystery, thriller & suspense, supernatural, and adventure — 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 mystery, thriller & suspense, supernatural.
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
11MT — Moderate — ThematicReal 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
3/10A 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
- 0340228628
- Pages
- 269
- Publisher
- Hodder and Stoughton
- Published
- 1978
- Type
- Fiction