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Tag, You're Dead

Kathryn Foxfield

Cover of Tag, You're Dead

Tag, You're Dead

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Kathryn Foxfield

Reading Level 7 12ME Ages 13+ Balanced Read

The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.

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About This Book

What if a city-wide game of Tag wasn’t just for fun, but a fight to survive? Imagine running through dark streets with cameras tracking your every move, while millions watch live. Who will win—and what secrets are they hiding beneath the chase?

Themes

ThrillerSuspenseYoung Adult FictionAdventureSocial MediaCompetitionRevengeFriendship

Quick Assessment

This thrilling young adult novel follows a deadly live-streamed game of Tag where contestants equipped with body cams and GPS trackers compete for a coveted prize. While the event draws massive online attention, four players have hidden motives involving money, fame, obsession, and revenge, adding layers of suspense. Suitable for teens 13 and older, this story contains tense moments and explores themes of social media influence and personal stakes.

Why we rated Tag, You're Dead 12ME

Tag, You're Dead is written at a Level 7 reading level across 304 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Tag, You're Dead works for readers up to grade 9.0.

We rate Tag, You're Dead 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, 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, Tag, You're Dead explores thriller, suspense, young adult fiction, adventure, and social media — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

  • Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
  • Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
  • Kids drawn to stories about thriller, suspense, young adult 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 — Emotional
Emotional
Moderate
Physical
Moderate
Social
Light
Thematic
Moderate

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

2/10

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
6
Emotional Weight
6
Theme Richness
8
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

304 pages
ISBN
9781728278889
Pages
304
Publisher
Sourcebooks Fire
Published
2023
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Young Adult Fiction, Action & Adventure, GeneralYoung Adult Fiction, Girls & WomenYoung Adult Fiction, Thrillers & Suspense, Crime