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Night of the Living Things (Victor Shmud, Total Expert #2)

Jim Benton

Cover of Night of the Living Things (Victor Shmud, Total Expert #2)

Night of the Living Things (Victor Shmud, Total Expert #2)

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Jim Benton

Reading Level 4-5 9LP Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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

Victor hauls the giant cello through the crowded school halls, but suddenly, the ground shakes and eerie groans echo around him. Zombies are everywhere, and Victor’s quick thinking is the only thing standing between chaos and safety. Can he stop the night of the living things before it’s too late?

Themes

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fiction book follows Victor as he navigates a humorous and action-packed adventure involving a zombie apocalypse. Suitable for ages 9-12, it blends friendship and social themes with light supernatural thrills, making it an engaging read without intense violence. Parents should note the zombie theme, which is handled with humor and suspense appropriate for this age group.

Why we rated Night of the Living Things (Victor Shmud, Total Expert #2) 9LP

Night of the Living Things (Victor Shmud, Total Expert #2) is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 112 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Night of the Living Things (Victor Shmud, Total Expert #2) works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Night of the Living Things (Victor Shmud, Total Expert #2) as 9LP ("Light — Physical") 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.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Peril, Fantasy Violence.

Thematically, Night of the Living Things (Victor Shmud, Total Expert #2) explores friendship, adventure, humor, and social themes — 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 friendship, adventure, humor.

Maybe not for

  • ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.

For Parents

Content Intensity

9LP — Light — Physical
Emotional
Clear
Physical
Light
Social
Clear
Thematic
Clear

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Content Flags

Mild Peril Fantasy Violence
Data confidence: standard

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

3/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

1/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
4
Emotional Weight
4
Theme Richness
6
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

112 pages
ISBN
9780545932356
Pages
112
Publisher
Scholastic Paperbacks
Published
Dec 26, 2017
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Action & AdventureHumorous StoriesSocial ThemesFriendshipChapter BooksMonsters