Rules for ghosting
Ammi-Joan Paquette
Rules for ghosting
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Ammi-Joan Paquette
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: Dahlia isn’t just any ghost. She’s twelve and stuck haunting the house her family once called home. When a new boy moves in, everything changes—but that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Dahlia, a 12-year-old ghost, as she teams up with a living boy to uncover the mystery behind her death while dealing with a dangerous ghosthunter. With themes of friendship, mystery, and the supernatural, it’s suitable for readers aged 9-12 who enjoy gentle spooky stories with emotional depth. The story contains mild suspense and explores themes of loss and friendship in an age-appropriate way.
Why we rated Rules for ghosting 10LE
Rules for ghosting is written at a Level 5-6 reading level with a Lexile measure of 830L across 260 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 6.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Rules for ghosting works for readers up to grade 7.5.
We rate Rules for ghosting 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, Rules for ghosting explores ghost stories, mystery, 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about ghost stories, mystery, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
10LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 9780802734549
- Pages
- 260
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing USA
- Published
- 2013
- Type
- Fiction
- Lexile
- 830L