Mr. Samuel's Penny
Treva Melvin
Mr. Samuel's Penny
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Treva Melvin
The text is written at a 6th 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
Sirens wail and flashing lights paint the night as Elizabeth stares in shock at the wreck beneath Danbury Bridge. A car plunged into the river, its driver and daughter lost, but was it really an accident? Clutching a mysterious penny, the victim's secrets are just beginning to surface when suddenly, the penny vanishes—who took it and why?
Quick Assessment
Set in 1972, this middle-grade mystery follows fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Landers as she spends the summer in a small Southern town and becomes entangled in a suspicious death case involving a unique 1909 wheat penny. The story explores themes of grief, racial tension, and community dynamics in a historical setting appropriate for ages 9-12. Parents should note the presence of mild peril, themes of loss, and some social issues like racial bias portrayed in a thoughtful manner.
Why we rated Mr. Samuel's Penny 11ME
Mr. Samuel's Penny is written at a Level 6 reading level across 264 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Mr. Samuel's Penny works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Mr. Samuel's Penny as 11ME ("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, Mr. Samuel's Penny explores mystery, friendship, family, historical, and social justice — 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, friendship, 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
11ME — 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
- 9781929345045
- Pages
- 264
- Publisher
- Sourcebooks, Incorporated
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction