Ship sooner

Mary Sullivan

Cover of Ship sooner

Ship sooner

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

A Novel

by Mary Sullivan

Reading Level 6 Moderate (Lvl 3) Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 6th 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

The crackle of frost on windowpanes and the soft thump of a rabbit’s paws on snow fill Ship Sooner’s world with sounds no one else seems to notice. She hears secrets whispered in quiet rooms and the hidden stories behind closed doors, but when her best friend disappears, the silence feels heavier than ever. What will Ship discover when the woods finally speak back to her?

Themes

Gifted TeenagersHearingFamilyFriendshipComing of AgeEmotional Sensitivity

Quick Assessment

Ship Sooner is a middle-grade novel about a gifted girl with extraordinary hearing who feels isolated in her small town. As she navigates family tensions and the mysterious disappearance of her friend, the story explores themes of adolescent sensitivity, loneliness, and self-discovery. Suitable for ages 9-12, it contains emotional depth but no graphic content, making it appropriate for middle-grade readers.

For Parents

Content Intensity

Level 3 — Moderate
Gentle Mild Moderate Intense Very Intense

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.

Content Flags

Loss & Grief Loneliness Fear & Anxiety
Data confidence: standard

Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

1/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

5/10

Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
5
Emotional Weight
6
Theme Richness
9
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

274 pages
ISBN
0060562404
Pages
274
Publisher
William Morrow
Published
2004
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Teenage GirlsGifted TeenagersHearingBildungsromans