The dead and the gone
Susan Beth Pfeffer
The dead and the gone
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Susan Beth Pfeffer
The text is written at a 7th 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 if a meteor crashing into the moon changed Earth forever? Imagine the sky darkening and the weather turning wild while Alex tries to keep his little sisters safe in the heart of New York City. Can he protect his family when everything around them is falling apart?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows seventeen-year-old Alex Morales as he navigates the aftermath of a catastrophic meteor impact on the moon, which triggers severe climate disasters on Earth. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story explores themes of survival, family responsibility, and resilience in the face of natural disaster. Parents should note the intense situations and emotional challenges Alex faces while caring for his younger sisters alone.
Why we rated The dead and the gone 12ME
The dead and the gone is written at a Level 7 reading level across 320 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The dead and the gone works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate The dead and the gone 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 — 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 dead and the gone explores natural disasters, survival, asteroids, brothers and sisters, and fiction — 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 natural disasters, survival, asteroids.
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 — 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
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781407106229
- Pages
- 320
- Publisher
- Marion Lloyd Books
- Published
- 2008
- Type
- Fiction