The house on Hound Hill
Maggie Prince
The house on Hound Hill
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Maggie Prince
The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
After moving into an ancient home on the historic Beggarsgate, Emily starts experiencing vivid visions of 17th-century London ravaged by the plague. These haunting glimpses blur the lines between past and present, pulling her into a dark and gripping mystery. As Emily uncovers the secrets of the house, she must confront the shadows of history to protect her family.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 5-6 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include fear & anxiety, historical, illness & injury. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated The house on Hound Hill 10ME
The house on Hound Hill is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 242 pages (approximately 56,648 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.4 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The house on Hound Hill works for readers up to grade 7.4.
Read aloud, The house on Hound Hill runs about 6.3 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate The house on Hound Hill as 10ME ("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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Fear & Anxiety, Historical, Illness & Injury.
Thematically, The house on Hound Hill explores mystery, historical, family, and supernatural — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about mystery, historical, 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
10ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
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
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0395907020
- Pages
- 242
- Publisher
- HMH Books For Young Readers
- Published
- 1998
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 56,648
- Read-Aloud
- ~6h 18m
- Text Density
- Standard