Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
Revenge of the Living Dummy
Robert Lawrence Stine
Revenge of the Living Dummy
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Goosebumps HorrorLand #1
The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.
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About This Book
When 12-year-old Britney stumbles upon a mysterious ventriloquist dummy, she quickly learns it hides a mischievous and eerie secret. Her spooky adventure deepens with a puzzling invitation to an amusement park full of strange surprises and dark mysteries. Britney and her friends must unravel the chilling truth before they become permanent residents of the scariest place on Earth.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 3-4 book with mild content intensity. Content themes include mild peril, fantasy violence, fear & anxiety. Written for readers ages 9-12.
Why we rated Revenge of the Living Dummy LE (Mild)
Revenge of the Living Dummy is written at a Level 3-4 reading level across 144 pages (approximately 20,881 words). Reading-wise, most kids in grade 4 and up can manage Revenge of the Living Dummy on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.
Read aloud, Revenge of the Living Dummy runs about 2.3 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Revenge of the Living Dummy as LE (Mild, mostly 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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Peril, Fantasy Violence, Fear & Anxiety.
Thematically, Revenge of the Living Dummy explores horror & ghost stories, adventure, friendship, and humor — 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 horror & ghost stories, adventure, friendship.
- ✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 18 more books in the Goosebumps HorrorLand series.
Maybe not for
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
For Parents
Content Intensity
LE · Mild · EmotionalReading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate
Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Content Flags
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
8/10High engagement — fast-paced, fun, and hard to put down. Great for reluctant 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
- 9780439918695
- Pages
- 144
- Publisher
- Scholastic Inc.
- Published
- April 1, 2008
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 20,881
- Read-Aloud
- ~2h 19m
- Text Density
- Light Text