The Holmes Brigade
F. C. Shaw
The Holmes Brigade
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by F. C. Shaw
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
Did you know that the mysterious Herr Zilch’s empty mansion hides secret codes and hidden dangers? Rollie and his detective friends sneak in under the cover of night, but what they find might put them all at risk—and that's only the beginning.
Quick Assessment
The Holmes Brigade follows Rollie Wilson and his friends as they unravel mysteries during their Christmas break from Sherlock Academy. This middle-grade fiction features coded clues, secret societies, and mild suspense appropriate for ages 9-12. The story includes light peril and themes of friendship and teamwork with no intense content.
Why we rated The Holmes Brigade 11LE
The Holmes Brigade is written at a Level 6 reading level across 246 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Holmes Brigade works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The Holmes Brigade as 11LE ("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 Holmes Brigade explores mystery, friendship, adventure, 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about mystery, friendship, adventure.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — 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
- 9781944452209
- Pages
- 246
- Publisher
- Future House Publishing
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction