What reading level is The empty grave?

The empty grave by Jonathan Stroud is at a Level 4-5 reading level (Lexile 710L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is The empty grave appropriate for?

The empty grave is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9ME (Moderate — Emotional).

What genre is The empty grave?

The empty grave is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does The empty grave have any content warnings?

The empty grave has a HootRating of 9ME (Moderate — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is The empty grave?

The empty grave by Jonathan Stroud is 437 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

The empty grave

Jonathan Stroud

The empty grave

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

Lockwood & Co.: Book Five

by Jonathan Stroud

Illustrated by Adams, Kate, illustrator

Reading Level 4-5 9ME Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 4th 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 secrets are hidden inside the spooky Fittes Mausoleum? Under the cover of night, Lockwood and his friends sneak into a place filled with traps and ghosts, searching for the truth about a legendary psychic. But with mysterious enemies closing in and the unknown waiting beyond, will they make it out unscathed?

Themes

SupernaturalGhost StoriesMystery Friendship Adventure

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade supernatural mystery follows a group of young psychic investigators on a dangerous mission to uncover secrets in a haunted mausoleum. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book contains ghostly encounters, suspenseful moments, and themes of friendship and bravery. Parents should note the presence of mild peril, supernatural elements, and some tense scenes involving spectral and human foes.

Why we rated The empty grave 9ME

The empty grave is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 710L across 437 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The empty grave works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate The empty grave as 9ME ("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 empty grave explores supernatural, ghost stories, mystery, friendship, and adventure — 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 supernatural, ghost stories, mystery.