What reading level is Nearly gone?

Nearly gone by Elle Cosimano is at a Level 3-4 reading level (Lexile 690L). Recommended for Lower Grades readers (Ages 5-8).

What age is Nearly gone appropriate for?

Nearly gone is recommended for Ages 5-8. HootRating: 8IP (Intense — Physical). Content flags: Serial Murder, Criminal Investigation, Mild Peril.

Does Nearly gone have any content warnings?

Nearly gone has a HootRating of 8IP (Intense — Physical). Content flags include: Serial Murder, Criminal Investigation, Mild Peril. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Nearly gone?

Nearly gone by Elle Cosimano is 386 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Nearly gone

Elle Cosimano

Nearly gone

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Elle Cosimano

Reading Level 3-4 8IP Ages 5-8 Heads Up

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.

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About This Book

Here's a secret: Nearly Boswell can taste emotions just by touching someone. She lives in a trailer park and knows how to keep quiet about her mom's job and her secret skill. But when mysterious messages start appearing and a dangerous stranger shows up, Nearly's world is about to change—but that's only the beginning.

Themes

MysteryCrimeAdventure Coming of Age

Quick Assessment

Nearly Gone is a dark urban thriller suitable for advanced young readers around ages 7-9. It follows Nearly Boswell, a girl with a unique ability who becomes involved in a tense criminal investigation involving a serial killer targeting students. Parents should note the themes of danger, crime, and complex emotions, making it best suited for mature readers within the early elementary range.

Why we rated Nearly gone 8IP

Nearly gone is written at a Level 3-4 reading level with a Lexile measure of 690L across 386 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 4.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Nearly gone works for readers up to grade 5.5.

We rate Nearly gone as 8IP ("Intense — Physical") because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Serial Murder, Criminal Investigation, Mild Peril.

Thematically, Nearly gone explores mystery, crime, adventure, and coming of age — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about mystery, crime, adventure.

Maybe not for

! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
! Children younger than 5-8 — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.