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Listen to the silence

Elliott, David W.

Cover of Listen to the silence

Listen to the silence

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Elliott, David W.

Reading Level 6 11LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

The room is eerily quiet as Mia tiptoes past the shadows, her heart pounding louder than ever. Suddenly, a faint creak echoes from upstairs. What could it be, and is she brave enough to find out?

Quick Assessment

Listen to the Silence is a middle-grade fiction book suitable for ages 9-12 that explores themes of courage and mystery. The story follows a young protagonist navigating suspenseful moments that encourage critical thinking and bravery. Parents should note the presence of mild suspense but no intense violence or mature content.

Why we rated Listen to the silence 11LE

Listen to the silence is written at a Level 6 reading level across 279 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Listen to the silence works for readers up to grade 8.0.

We rate Listen to the silence as 11LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.

Thematically, Listen to the silence explores mystery, courage, adventure, 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.
  • Kids drawn to stories about mystery, courage, adventure.

Maybe not for

  • ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

11LE — Light — Emotional
Emotional
Light
Physical
Light
Social
Clear
Thematic
Light

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

3/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

1/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
5
Emotional Weight
4
Theme Richness
4
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

279 pages
ISBN
0030813360
Pages
279
Publisher
Holt, Rinehart and Winston
Published
1969
Type
Fiction

Genres

Aluminum boats