Splinter
Sasha Dawn
Splinter
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Sasha Dawn
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
There's a secret hidden deep in Sami's family—her mother vanished without a trace a decade ago. Everyone thinks Sami's dad is guilty, but what if the truth is far more tangled? And what if discovering it changes everything? But that's only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade mystery follows Sami as she unravels the truth behind her mother's disappearance, challenging assumptions about her family. Suitable for readers ages 9-12, the story explores themes of identity and trust with some suspenseful moments, but without graphic content. Parents should note the emotional complexity around family secrets and uncertainty.
Why we rated Splinter 11ME
Splinter is written at a Level 6 reading level across 298 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Splinter works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Splinter as 11ME ("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, thematic difficulty — 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, Splinter explores mystery, identity & self-discovery, family, detective and mystery stories, and mothers and daughters — 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 mystery, identity & self-discovery, 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
11ME — 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
- 9781512411515
- Pages
- 298
- Publisher
- Carolrhoda Lab& 8482
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction