Lie Tree
Frances Hardinge
Lie Tree
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Frances Hardinge
The text is written at a 8th 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 if a quiet girl could unlock secrets by telling lies? On a mysterious island, Faith discovers a magical tree that reveals hidden truths—if only she dares whisper a lie to it. But can this strange power help her solve a deadly mystery without putting her in danger?
Quick Assessment
Set in historical Great Britain, this middle-grade novel follows Faith Sunderly, a curious and clever girl determined to uncover the truth behind her father's suspicious death. The story explores themes of gender roles, family loyalty, and justice, with a blend of mystery and fantasy elements. Suitable for ages 9-12, it includes some darker themes such as murder and societal expectations, handled with care.
Why we rated Lie Tree 12ME
Lie Tree is written at a Level 8 reading level across 400 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Lie Tree works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate Lie Tree 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, 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, Lie Tree explores mystery, coming of age, family, fantasy world-building, and historical — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about mystery, coming of age, 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
12ME — 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
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781419726415
- Pages
- 400
- Publisher
- Harry N. Abrams
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction