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Spell of the Screaming Jokers Ghosts of Fear Street #20

Ann M. Martin

Cover of Spell of the Screaming Jokers Ghosts of Fear Street #20

Spell of the Screaming Jokers Ghosts of Fear Street #20

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Ann M. Martin

Reading Level 4-5 9MP Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 4th 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

Brittany clutches the joker card, heart pounding as eerie shadows stretch across the room. Suddenly, the cards start to glow—and the jokers aren't just jokes anymore. Something wicked is coming, but can Brittany stop it before it's too late?

Themes

Horror & Ghost StoriesAdventureMystery

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade horror novel follows Brittany as she faces a supernatural challenge involving cursed joker cards that bring dangerous consequences. Suitable for ages 9-12, it contains spooky themes and mild peril typical of chillers designed to thrill without overwhelming young readers.

Why we rated Spell of the Screaming Jokers Ghosts of Fear Street #20 9MP

Spell of the Screaming Jokers Ghosts of Fear Street #20 is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 144 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Spell of the Screaming Jokers Ghosts of Fear Street #20 works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Spell of the Screaming Jokers Ghosts of Fear Street #20 as 9MP ("Moderate — Physical") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from 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, Spell of the Screaming Jokers Ghosts of Fear Street #20 explores horror & ghost stories, adventure, and mystery — 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.
  • Kids drawn to stories about horror & ghost stories, adventure, mystery.

Maybe not for

  • ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.

For Parents

Content Intensity

9MP — Moderate — Physical
Emotional
Light
Physical
Moderate
Social
Clear
Thematic
Light

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

Data confidence: standard

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

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

3/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

2/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
4
Emotional Weight
6
Theme Richness
3
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

144 pages
ISBN
9780671001926
Pages
144
Publisher
Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
Published
May 1, 1997
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Horror & Ghost Stories, ChillersHorror & Ghost StoriesHorrorHorror StoriesAction & AdventureCard GamesHorror TalesFear StreetGames