The gathering

Name: The gathering
Author: Dan Poblocki
ISBN: 9780545925501

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Dan Poblocki

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.

Find on Amazon Listen on Audible

We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.

About This Book

The hallways twist and shift around Dash and his friends as they step deeper into Shadow House. Doors slam shut, ghosts whisper secrets, and one by one, the children begin to vanish. Can they find a way out before the house claims them all?

Themes

Haunted HousesOrphansEscapeFriendshipSupernatural

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade ghost story follows a group of children who find themselves trapped in a haunted house with shifting hallways and disappearing doors. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book combines supernatural suspense with themes of trust and escape, featuring some mild scary moments but no graphic content. Parents should note the eerie atmosphere and occasional tense scenes typical of haunted house tales.

Why we rated The gathering 9ME

The gathering is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 750L across 215 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The gathering works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate The gathering 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, thematic difficulty — 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 gathering explores haunted houses, orphans, escape, friendship, and supernatural — 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 haunted houses, orphans, escape.

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.