Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
The diamond thief
Sharon Gosling
The diamond thief
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Sharon Gosling
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. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.
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About This Book
Rémy swings high above the circus crowd, the diamond sparkling in her pocket. Suddenly, footsteps echo behind her—someone’s onto her secret! Can she escape the shadows of Victorian London before it’s too late?
Quick Assessment
Set in Victorian London, this middle-grade novel follows 16-year-old Rémy, a skilled circus acrobat who leads a double life as a jewel thief. When a heist involving a priceless diamond goes awry, she teams up with a young policeman to navigate danger and deception. The story contains mild suspense and action suitable for ages 9-12.
Why we rated The diamond thief LE (Mild)
The diamond thief is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 335 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage The diamond thief on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.
We rate The diamond thief 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 diamond thief explores adventure, mystery, friendship, and family — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, mystery, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
LE · Mild · EmotionalReading 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.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781630790028
- Pages
- 335
- Publisher
- Capstone
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction