The Ghost of Tillie Jean Cassaway
Ellen Harvey Showell
The Ghost of Tillie Jean Cassaway
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Ellen Harvey Showell
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
There’s a secret whispered on the wind about a ghostly girl who wanders the hills—could it be the wild child Hilary and her brother Willy saw in the woods? No one knows for sure who she is or why she haunts the misty mountains, but that’s only the beginning.
Quick Assessment
This suspenseful ghost story follows 11-year-old Hilary and her brother Willy as they encounter a mysterious figure in the woods rumored to be the spirit of a drowned girl. Suitable for middle-grade to young teen readers, the book explores themes of mystery and the supernatural with age-appropriate chills and suspense. Parents should be aware of its ghostly themes and mild suspenseful moments.
Why we rated The Ghost of Tillie Jean Cassaway 9LE
The Ghost of Tillie Jean Cassaway is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 128 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Ghost of Tillie Jean Cassaway works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The Ghost of Tillie Jean Cassaway as 9LE ("Light — 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 Ghost of Tillie Jean Cassaway explores horror & ghost stories, mystery, adventure, and family — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about horror & ghost stories, mystery, adventure.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780595142927
- Pages
- 128
- Publisher
- iUniverse
- Published
- October 1, 2000
- Type
- Fiction