Secret Mountain
Tom Percival
Secret Mountain
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Tom Percival
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
What if the biggest troublemaker in Tale Town isn’t what everyone thinks? Jack, Red, and their friends discover a lost troll child who might change everything about the stories they know. Can they protect the troll and uncover the secrets of the mysterious mountain?
Quick Assessment
Secret Mountain follows beloved fairy-tale characters as they team up to help a misunderstood troll child. This middle-grade fiction blends adventure and friendship with themes of empathy and challenging assumptions. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book offers positive messages without intense conflict or frightening content.
Why we rated Secret Mountain 9LE
Secret Mountain is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 176 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Secret Mountain works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Secret Mountain 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, Secret Mountain explores friendship, adventure, fantasy world-building, and coming of age — 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 friendship, adventure, fantasy world-building.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
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
2/10A 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
- 9781509842155
- Pages
- 176
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction