Smoking Hourglass
Jennifer Bell
Smoking Hourglass
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jennifer Bell
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
Ivy and her brother Seb have uncovered a secret underground city where magical objects hold incredible power—but someone dark and dangerous wants to steal them all. Shadows lurk everywhere, and friends might not be who they seem. But that's only the beginning.
Quick Assessment
Smoking Hourglass is the second book in a middle-grade fantasy series featuring magical adventures in an underground city. Suitable for ages 9-12, it explores themes of family, trust, and good versus evil, with some suspense and mild peril. Parents should note that while the story contains fantasy violence and moments of tension, it remains appropriate for middle-grade readers.
Why we rated Smoking Hourglass 12ME
Smoking Hourglass is written at a Level 7 reading level across 336 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Smoking Hourglass works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Smoking Hourglass 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, Smoking Hourglass explores fantasy world-building, magic, family, adventure, and friendship — 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 fantasy world-building, magic, family.
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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780553498509
- Pages
- 336
- Publisher
- Yearling
- Published
- 2020
- Type
- Fiction