The gates
John Connolly
The gates
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Samuel Johnson Tale
by John Connolly
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 if trick-or-treating early led you to discover a secret no one else knew? Imagine a boy and his dog facing the gates to a terrifying underworld, where scary creatures are trying to escape. Could one kid’s courage, smarts, and heart really stop the darkness from breaking through?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fantasy novel follows young Samuel Johnson and his dog as they encounter supernatural events involving the gates to Hell after a Halloween prank goes wrong. The story blends elements of good versus evil, science, and faith in a way that is imaginative yet accessible for ages 9-12. Parents should be aware of themes involving Satanism and scary supernatural creatures, though the tone balances suspense with moments of hope and bravery.
Why we rated The gates 11ME
The gates is written at a Level 6 reading level across 296 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The gates works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The gates 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, physical peril, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Satanism, Supernatural Peril.
Thematically, The gates explores good vs. evil, friendship, adventure, science & nature, and fantasy world-building — 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 good vs. evil, friendship, adventure.
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.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781439172636
- Pages
- 296
- Publisher
- Atria Books
- Published
- 2009
- Type
- Fiction