What reading level is News for dogs?

News for dogs by Lois Duncan is at a Level 5-6 reading level (Lexile 820L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is News for dogs appropriate for?

News for dogs is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 10LE (Light — Emotional).

What genre is News for dogs?

News for dogs is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does News for dogs have any content warnings?

News for dogs has a HootRating of 10LE (Light — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is News for dogs?

News for dogs by Lois Duncan is 217 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated July 16, 2026

News for dogs

Lois Duncan

News for dogs

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Lois Duncan

Reading Level 5-6 10LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 5th 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

Here's a secret: Andi and her brother Bruce have started a newspaper just for dogs, and it’s becoming wildly popular. But when mysterious dognappers show up, their adventure takes a dangerous turn — and that’s only the beginning.

Themes

Mystery AdventureAnimalsFriendship Family

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade mystery follows siblings Andi and Bruce as they create a unique newspaper for dogs that gains unexpected popularity. When dognappers threaten the local canine community, the siblings team up to solve the mystery and save the day. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book offers light suspense and themes of teamwork and problem-solving without intense content.

Why we rated News for dogs 10LE

News for dogs is written at a Level 5-6 reading level with a Lexile measure of 820L across 217 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 6.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, News for dogs works for readers up to grade 7.5.

We rate News for dogs as 10LE ("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, News for dogs explores mystery, adventure, animals, friendship, and family — 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, adventure, animals.