What reading level is Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye?

Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye by Wendelin Van Draanen is at a Level 5-6 reading level (Lexile 860L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye appropriate for?

Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 10ME (Moderate — Emotional).

What genre is Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye?

Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye is fiction — Fiction.

Does Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye have any content warnings?

Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye has a HootRating of 10ME (Moderate — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye?

Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye by Wendelin Van Draanen is 236 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye

Wendelin Van Draanen

Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Wendelin Van Draanen

Reading Level 5-6 10ME Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.

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About This Book

Who could want Sammy Keyes out of the way? Friends and foes gather, secrets bubble up, and a mystery unfolds around the girl who’s been trapped in a coma. Can anyone uncover the truth before it’s too late?

Themes

Mystery FriendshipCourageDetective Stories

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade mystery follows Sammy Keyes as she lies in a coma while those around her scramble to identify who is behind the attack. The story explores themes of friendship, trust, and courage, suitable for readers aged 9-12. It includes some suspense and mild peril but remains age-appropriate for middle-grade audiences.

Why we rated Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye 10ME

Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye is written at a Level 5-6 reading level with a Lexile measure of 860L across 236 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 6.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye works for readers up to grade 7.5.

We rate Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye as 10ME ("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 — 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, Sammy Keyes and the kiss goodbye explores mystery, friendship, courage, and detective stories — 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 mystery, friendship, courage.

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.