The Clue in the Corn Maze

Name: The Clue in the Corn Maze
Author: Gertrude Chandler Warner
ISBN: 9780807555576

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Reading Level 3-4 LE · Mild · Emotional Ages 5-8 Matched

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

The Aldens dash through towering stalks of corn, their hearts pounding as the sun sets behind the Iowa farm. Shadows flicker between the twisting paths of the maze, and something is definitely not right. Suddenly, a mysterious noise echoes—who could be sabotaging the festival?

Themes

FarmsBrothers and sistersMysteryJuvenile fictionOrphans

Quick Assessment

This early chapter book follows the Alden siblings as they visit an Iowa farm famous for its corn maze and festival. When vandalism threatens to shut down the event, the children take on the challenge of solving the mystery. Suitable for early readers aged 5-8, the story features themes of family, cooperation, and problem-solving with light suspense appropriate for young audiences.

Why we rated The Clue in the Corn Maze LE (Mild)

The Clue in the Corn Maze is written at a Level 3-4 reading level across 126 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 5 and up can manage The Clue in the Corn Maze on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate The Clue in the Corn Maze as LE (Mild, mostly 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 Clue in the Corn Maze explores farms, brothers and sisters, mystery, juvenile fiction, and orphans — 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 farms, brothers and sisters, mystery.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

LE · Mild · Emotional

Emotional

Mild ←

Physical

Mild

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: high

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