The haunted house next door

Name: The haunted house next door
Author: Andres Miedoso
ISBN: 9781534410381

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Andres Miedoso

Illustrated by Victor Rivas

Reading Level 3-4 LE · Mild · Emotional Ages 5-8 Matched

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.

Find on Amazon Listen on Audible Find on Bookshop.org

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

About This Book

Did you know the new house next door hides spooky secrets? Andres just moved in, and strange things are happening that even make him nervous. But when Desmond steps in to help, that’s only the beginning of their adventure.

Themes

Haunted housesFriendshipHousehold MovingFiction

Quick Assessment

This early reader book follows Andres and his family as they move into a house where mysterious events begin to unfold. With the help of their curious neighbor Desmond, they explore themes of friendship and courage in the face of the unknown. Suitable for ages 5-8, it gently introduces supernatural elements without frightening details.

Why we rated The haunted house next door LE (Mild)

The haunted house next door is written at a Level 3-4 reading level across 122 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 5 and up can manage The haunted house next door on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate The haunted house next door as LE (Mild, mostly 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 haunted house next door explores haunted houses, friendship, household moving, and fiction — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about haunted houses, friendship, household moving.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

LE · Mild · Emotional

Emotional

Mild ←

Physical

Gentle

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: high

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?