Heart of lies
Jill Marie Landis
Heart of lies
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
a novel
by Jill Marie Landis
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 would you do if your whole life was built on secrets and survival? Maddie Grande was raised to steal on the streets of New Orleans, but now the quiet bayou hides her hopes for a fresh start. When a kidnapping pulls her back into danger and a surprising friendship with a determined detective, everything she thought she knew begins to unravel.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Maddie Grande, a street-smart girl raised among thieves, as she navigates life in the Louisiana bayou while caught up in a kidnapping case. The story explores themes of family loyalty, identity, and trust, with some elements of mild peril appropriate for readers aged 9 to 12. Parents should note the presence of crime and kidnapping, handled in a way suitable for middle-grade readers.
Why we rated Heart of lies 11ME
Heart of lies is written at a Level 6 reading level across 296 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Heart of lies works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Heart of lies 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 — 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, Heart of lies explores street children, kidnapping, family, friendship, 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about street children, kidnapping, family.
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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780310293705
- Pages
- 296
- Publisher
- Zondervan
- Published
- 2011
- Type
- Fiction