Lily the thief
Janne Kukkonen
Lily the thief
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Janne Kukkonen
The text is written at a 3rd 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
Lily, a determined young thief, strives to prove herself within a hidden world full of danger and secrets. When a routine mission reveals a dark conspiracy tied to ancient gods, she must outsmart powerful enemies to protect those who have rejected her. Adventure and mystery await as Lily faces challenges that could change her world forever.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 3-4 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include fantasy violence, physical danger. Written for readers ages 9-12.
Why we rated Lily the thief 8MP
Lily the thief is written at a Level 3-4 reading level across 288 pages (approximately 11,850 words). Strong independent readers around grade 4.2 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Lily the thief works for readers up to grade 5.2.
Read aloud, Lily the thief runs about 1.3 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Lily the thief as 8MP ("Moderate — Physical") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Fantasy Violence, Physical Danger.
Thematically, Lily the thief explores adventure, fantasy world-building, coming of age, 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.
- ✓ Readers who like a steady plot with enough momentum to keep pages turning.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, fantasy world-building, 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.
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
For Parents
Content Intensity
8MP — Moderate — PhysicalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
5/10Engaging read with solid pacing and interesting themes.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781250193551
- Pages
- 288
- Publisher
- First Second
- Published
- 2019
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 11,850
- Read-Aloud
- ~1h 19m
- Text Density
- Picture-Heavy