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The adventure of the six Napoleons ; The blue carbuncle

Murray Shaw

Cover of The adventure of the six Napoleons ; The blue carbuncle

The adventure of the six Napoleons ; The blue carbuncle

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

The Blue Carbuncle

by Murray Shaw

Reading Level 2 7C Ages 5-8 Matched

The text is written at a 2nd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.

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About This Book

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson hurry through the foggy London streets, chasing a mysterious lead about broken busts and a missing gem. Suddenly, they spot something that could crack the case wide open—but just as they reach out, a shadow moves nearby. What secret waits in the shadows?

Themes

MysteryDetectiveFriendshipProblem Solving

Quick Assessment

This book features two classic Sherlock Holmes adventures adapted for early readers, blending mystery with critical thinking. Alongside each story, children can explore clues and Holmes's reasoning, promoting problem-solving skills. Suitable for ages 5-8, the content is gentle and engaging without any intense scenes.

Why we rated The adventure of the six Napoleons ; The blue carbuncle 7C

The adventure of the six Napoleons ; The blue carbuncle is written at a Level 2 reading level across 47 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 3.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The adventure of the six Napoleons ; The blue carbuncle works for readers up to grade 4.0.

We rate The adventure of the six Napoleons ; The blue carbuncle as 7C ("Clear") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.

Thematically, The adventure of the six Napoleons ; The blue carbuncle explores mystery, detective, friendship, and problem solving — 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.
  • Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
  • Kids drawn to stories about mystery, detective, friendship.

Maybe not for

  • ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

7C — Clear
Emotional
Clear
Physical
Clear
Social
Clear
Thematic
Clear

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: standard

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

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

2/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

1/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
2
Emotional Weight
2
Theme Richness
4
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

47 pages
ISBN
0876143877
Pages
47
Publisher
Carolrhoda Books
Published
1990
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Detective and Mystery Stories, AmericanDetective and Mystery Stories, EnglishAdaptationsChildren's Stories, AmericanChildren's Stories, EnglishMystery and Detective StoriesShort StoriesLiterary RecreationsAmerican Detective and Mystery StoriesEnglish Detective and Mystery Stories