The ghost of Tricia Martin
Kate William
The ghost of Tricia Martin
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Kate William
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
The cold wind whispers through the empty halls, carrying a faint scent of lavender and old memories. Steven can’t believe his eyes when he sees Andrea — she looks just like Tricia, the girl he lost. But as the days go by, his heart feels heavier, caught between the past and the present.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores themes of loss, grief, and the challenges of moving on through the story of Steven, who meets a girl resembling his deceased girlfriend. It sensitively handles emotional complexity and the impact of obsession on friendships, making it suitable for readers aged 9 to 12. Parents should note the book’s focus on emotional struggles but find no graphic content or strong language.
Why we rated The ghost of Tricia Martin 9ME
The ghost of Tricia Martin is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 152 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The ghost of Tricia Martin works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The ghost of Tricia Martin 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 — 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 ghost of Tricia Martin explores ghost stories, grief & loss, friendship, and coming of age — 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 ghost stories, grief & loss, friendship.
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
9ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A 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
- 9780553284874
- Pages
- 152
- Publisher
- Sweet Valley
- Published
- 1990
- Type
- Fiction