Mercury

Name: Mercury
Author: Hope Larson
ISBN: 9781416935858

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Hope Larson

Reading Level 2 C · Gentle Ages 9-12 Matched

A Junior Library Guild selection

The text is written at a 2nd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes. Its HootRating code, C, means gentle content.

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About This Book

What if a magical necklace could lead you to treasure? Tara discovers this special necklace that once belonged to a relative from long ago. But what secrets will it unlock, and how will it change her new life with her cousins?

Themes

AdjustmentGenealogyCousinsJuvenile fictionCartoons and comics

Quick Assessment

Tara, a teen staying with relatives after a fire destroys her home, pieces together her family's past through a necklace linked to Josey, a girl living in 1859 Nova Scotia. Josey's storyline follows a charming newcomer who wants a share of buried gold and hides a menacing side, with some romance and moments of peril along the way. Parents should know that the emotional weight comes from loss of home and family history, while the more unsettling content involves greed and a dangerous adult, handled with moderate intensity in this graphic novel.

Why we rated Mercury C (Gentle)

Mercury is written at a Level 2 reading level across 234 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 3 and up can manage Mercury on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Mercury as C (Gentle) because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

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

Thematically, Mercury explores adjustment, genealogy, cousins, juvenile fiction, and cartoons and comics — 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 adjustment, genealogy, cousins.
✓ Readers (and parents) who care about award-recognized writing — Mercury carries an award.

Maybe not for

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

For Parents

Content Intensity

C · Gentle

Emotional

Mild

Physical

Gentle

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Mild

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: high

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