The dare game
Jacqueline Wilson
The dare game
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jacqueline Wilson
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
What would you do if your new foster-mum was a total meanie and your school was the worst ever? Tracy Beaker has a big purple notebook filled with dares and secrets, but her biggest challenge is making it through each day. Can she win the Dare Game when everything feels so tough?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Tracy Beaker, a spirited girl in foster care who copes with her challenging new environment by inventing daring games and telling her story. It addresses themes of institutional care, family changes, and resilience, suitable for ages 9 to 12. Parents should note the realistic portrayal of foster care challenges, including feelings of loneliness and adjustment to new family situations.
Why we rated The dare game 11ME
The dare game is written at a Level 6 reading level across 256 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The dare game works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The dare game as 11ME ("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 — 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, The dare game explores family, coming of age, institutional care, and friendship — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, coming of age, institutional care.
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
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780440863694
- Pages
- 256
- Publisher
- Corgi Childrens
- Published
- 2001
- Type
- Fiction