Lies
Michael Grant
Lies
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
a Gone novel
by Michael Grant
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
The sharp scent of smoke fills the air as flames roar across Perdido Beach, crackling and hissing like wild beasts. In the chaos, a boy Sam thought gone forever steps out from the shadows, his eyes burning with a dark promise. The fight for survival is fiercer than ever, and trust is as fragile as the ash swirling around them.
Quick Assessment
Set seven months after all adults mysteriously vanish, this thrilling middle-grade novel explores survival, trust, and the blurred lines between life and death in a chaotic world. The story contains action-packed scenes with fantasy violence and themes of fear, identity, and social conflict, appropriate for readers aged 9 to 12 who can handle intense but not graphic content.
Why we rated Lies 12ME
Lies is written at a Level 8 reading level across 447 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 9.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Lies works for readers up to grade 10.0.
We rate Lies 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, physical peril, 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, Lies explores adventure, science & nature, coming of age, social justice, and friendship — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, science & nature, coming of age.
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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780061449093
- Pages
- 447
- Publisher
- Katherine Tegen Books
- Published
- 2010
- Type
- Fiction