Run
William Sleator
Run
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by William Sleator
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
The door slams shut behind you as shadows creep closer. Three teens find themselves trapped in a lonely house, but something outside is watching—waiting. What could be lurking in the darkness, and will they make it through the night?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Run is a suspenseful young adult novel about three teenagers who find themselves isolated in a house while facing an unknown threat lurking outside. Suitable for ages 13 and up, it explores themes of fear and survival with moderate tension but contains no graphic content. Parents should be aware that the story includes suspenseful situations that may be intense for some readers.
Why we rated Run 9ME
Run is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 148 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Run works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Run as 9ME ("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.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Run explores suspense, friendship, survival, and fear & anxiety — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about suspense, friendship, survival.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient 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
- 9780590317672
- Pages
- 148
- Publisher
- Scholastic Paperbacks
- Published
- June 1981
- Type
- Fiction