The Good Neighbors #1: Kin
Holly Black
The Good Neighbors #1: Kin
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
The good neighbors
by Holly Black
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 would you do if your mom vanished without a trace and your dad was blamed? Rue Silver isn’t just any kid—she’s a faerie, caught between two worlds, racing against time to rescue her mom from a mysterious fate. But dark magic lurks close by, and saving her family might mean facing dangers no one else can see.
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fantasy follows Rue Silver, a faerie girl whose mother disappears and whose father is accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Rue embarks on a perilous journey into the faerie world to rescue her mother while confronting a threatening dark faerie that endangers both realms. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story involves themes of family, magical adventure, and suspense, with some mild peril and fantasy violence.
Why we rated The Good Neighbors #1: Kin 9ME
The Good Neighbors #1: Kin is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 124 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Good Neighbors #1: Kin works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The Good Neighbors #1: Kin 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 Good Neighbors #1: Kin explores fantasy world-building, adventure, family, and mystery — 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 fantasy world-building, adventure, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
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
3/10A 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
- 9780545404563
- Pages
- 124
- Publisher
- Scholastic
- Published
- Mar 26, 2008
- Type
- Fiction