Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
The doublecross
Jackson Pearce
The doublecross
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
(And Other Skills I Learned as a Superspy)
The text is written at a 5th 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, LP, means mild content, mostly physical.
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About This Book
What if being the least likely spy was actually your greatest secret weapon? Imagine Hale, who’s not the fastest or the strongest, suddenly thrust into a daring mission when his parents vanish into the hands of the evil League. Can he outsmart the enemy and prove that heroes come in all shapes and sizes?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade adventure follows twelve-year-old Hale, who, despite not fitting the typical spy mold, embarks on a solo quest to rescue his captured parents from a villainous group known as the League. The story emphasizes themes of ability, courage, and self-discovery, suitable for readers aged 9 to 12. Parents should note that while the book includes suspenseful moments, it remains appropriate for its target audience.
Why we rated The doublecross LP (Mild)
The doublecross is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 291 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 7 and up can manage The doublecross on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.
We rate The doublecross as LP (Mild, mostly physical) 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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Peril.
Thematically, The doublecross explores ability, adventure and adventurers, missing persons, overweight persons, 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about ability, adventure and adventurers, missing persons.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
LP · Mild · PhysicalReading 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.
Content Flags
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781619634145
- Pages
- 291
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing USA
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction