One ghost too many
Drew Stevenson
One ghost too many
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Sarah Capshaw Mystery
by Drew Stevenson
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
Clark and Frog sneak through the creaky halls of Maplewood Manor, their flashlights cutting through the thick darkness. Suddenly, a chilling whisper echoes behind them—was that a ghost? They freeze, unsure if they're about to uncover a spooky secret or run into real trouble.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade mystery follows Clark, Frog, and Kate as they explore the eerie Maplewood Manor to find out if it's truly haunted. Suitable for ages 9 to 12, the story offers light suspense and themes of friendship and bravery without intense scares or graphic content. It's a gentle introduction to detective adventures set in a spooky but age-appropriate environment.
Why we rated One ghost too many 9LE
One ghost too many is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 125 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, One ghost too many works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate One ghost too many 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, One ghost too many explores mystery, adventure, friendship, and haunted houses — 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, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
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
3/10A 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
- 0525650520
- Pages
- 125
- Publisher
- Dutton Juvenile
- Published
- 1991
- Type
- Fiction