My explosive diary
Emily Gale
My explosive diary
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Emily Gale
Illustrated by Dreidemy, Joelle, illustrator
The text is written at a 4th 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
What if you had to outsmart the biggest bully in school to save your dad’s secret invention? Eliza Boom is on a daring mission to retrieve a mysterious roll of film that could change everything. But with Zoe Wakefield standing in her way, will Eliza’s spy skills be enough to succeed?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction follows Eliza Boom, a young aspiring inventor who embarks on a quest to recover her father's secret film stolen by a class bully. The story explores themes of bullying, friendship, and creativity in an age-appropriate way for 9-12-year-olds. Parents should note the presence of bullying as a central conflict but presented with humor and adventure.
Why we rated My explosive diary 9LE
My explosive diary is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 123 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, My explosive diary works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate My explosive diary as 9LE ("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, My explosive diary explores bullying, spies, juvenile fiction, inventors, and adventure — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about bullying, spies, juvenile fiction.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781481406505
- Pages
- 123
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction