Smoked
Mari Mancusi
Smoked
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Scorched #3
by Mari Mancusi
The text is written at a 7th 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
Flames roar as Team Dragon bursts through the smoke, racing to save Emmy—now a mighty dragon! But just when they think the danger has passed, Emmy drops a bombshell: two dragon eggs that could unleash a fiery apocalypse. Connor makes a bold move, and suddenly, chaos explodes all around—can they stop the fire before it’s too late?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This thrilling conclusion to the Scorched trilogy follows Team Dragon as they face the consequences of rescuing Emmy, a fully grown dragon who has laid eggs that might trigger an apocalypse. Packed with supernatural elements and adventure, the story includes fantasy peril and intense moments suitable for middle-grade readers aged 9-12. Parents should note the presence of fantasy violence and high-stakes tension throughout the narrative.
Why we rated Smoked 12ME
Smoked is written at a Level 7 reading level across 368 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Smoked works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Smoked as 12ME ("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, Smoked explores supernatural, adventure, paranormal fiction, and fantasy world-building — 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 supernatural, adventure, paranormal fiction.
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
12ME — 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
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
- 9781402284649
- Pages
- 368
- Publisher
- Sourcebooks Fire
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction