What reading level is The candidates?

The candidates by Inara Scott is at a Level 4-5 reading level (Lexile 740L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is The candidates appropriate for?

The candidates is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9LE (Light — Emotional).

What genre is The candidates?

The candidates is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does The candidates have any content warnings?

The candidates has a HootRating of 9LE (Light — 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 The candidates?

The candidates by Inara Scott is 293 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

The candidates

Inara Scott

The candidates

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Inara Scott

Reading Level 4-5 9LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

Dancia Lewis has a power that’s more trouble than help—when danger strikes, things break and people get hurt! She tries to stay invisible, but a fancy school’s invitation might change everything. Can she control her wild abilities before everything falls apart?

Themes

Psychic abilityBoarding schoolsSecretsFriendship Coming of Age Fantasy World-Building

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade novel follows Dancia Lewis, a girl with uncontrollable telekinetic powers, as she navigates her fears and a new scholarship at an elite boarding school. The story explores themes of self-control, friendship, and belonging with a paranormal twist, suitable for readers aged 9-12. Parents should note mild peril and some emotional tension related to Dancia’s powers and school challenges.

Why we rated The candidates 9LE

The candidates is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 740L across 293 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The candidates works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate The candidates as 9LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

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

Thematically, The candidates explores psychic ability, boarding schools, secrets, friendship, and coming of age — 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 psychic ability, boarding schools, secrets.