Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
Night of the living dummy II
Robert Lawrence Stine
Night of the living dummy II
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Robert Lawrence Stine
The text is written at a 3rd 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
Amy receives a new ventriloquist dummy named Slappy, but soon strange and unsettling events begin to unfold around her. As the mysterious happenings grow more frightening, Amy must face the eerie secrets tied to her new toy.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 3-4 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include fear & anxiety, mild peril, fantasy violence. Written for readers ages 9-12.
Why we rated Night of the living dummy II 8ME
Night of the living dummy II is written at a Level 3-4 reading level across 120 pages (approximately 20,801 words). Strong independent readers around grade 4.1 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Night of the living dummy II works for readers up to grade 5.1.
Read aloud, Night of the living dummy II runs about 2.3 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Night of the living dummy II as 8ME ("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, physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Fear & Anxiety, Mild Peril, Fantasy Violence.
Thematically, Night of the living dummy II explores fantasy world-building, adventure, and mystery — 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.
- ✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about fantasy world-building, adventure, mystery.
- ✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 79 more books in the Goosebumps series.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
For Parents
Content Intensity
8ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
7/10High engagement — fast-paced, fun, and hard to put down. Great for reluctant readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0590483498
- Pages
- 120
- Publisher
- Apple
- Published
- 1995
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 20,801
- Read-Aloud
- ~2h 19m
- Text Density
- Standard