What reading level is Stone cold?

Stone cold by Jane Yolen is at a Level 3 reading level. Recommended for Lower Grades readers (Ages 5-8).

What age is Stone cold appropriate for?

Stone cold is recommended for Ages 5-8. HootRating: 8ME (Moderate — Emotional).

What genre is Stone cold?

Stone cold is fiction — Young Adult Fiction.

Does Stone cold have any content warnings?

Stone cold has a HootRating of 8ME (Moderate — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Stone cold?

Stone cold by Jane Yolen is 79 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Stone cold

Jane Yolen

Stone cold

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

Book 1

by Jane Yolen

Illustrated by Zangara, Orion, illustrator

Reading Level 3 8ME Ages 5-8 Heads Up

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.

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About This Book

Here’s a secret: a lonely boy on the edge of a rooftop isn’t alone after all. A mysterious gargoyle named Silex, who’s more than just stone, swoops in with a strange offer. But that’s only the beginning of a dark mystery that only they can solve together.

Themes

MysterySupernaturalFriendship AdventureGraphic novels

Quick Assessment

This graphic novel follows Craig, a young runaway in Edinburgh, who partners with a supernatural gargoyle named Silex to solve a string of murders. The story combines elements of mystery and fantasy, suitable for early readers aged 5-8 who can handle spooky scenes and suspenseful themes. Parents should note the presence of frightening imagery and a darker tone within a detective adventure framework.

Why we rated Stone cold 8ME

Stone cold is written at a Level 3 reading level across 79 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 4.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Stone cold works for readers up to grade 5.0.

We rate Stone cold as 8ME ("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, Stone cold explores mystery, supernatural, friendship, adventure, and graphic novels — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about mystery, supernatural, friendship.