The last of August
Brittany Cavallaro
The last of August
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Brittany Cavallaro
The text is written at a 7th 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
Here's a secret: Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson thought their school break would be quiet, but then Charlotte's uncle disappears! He's tangled up in something dangerous involving stolen art across Europe—Berlin, Prague, and beyond. And that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade mystery follows Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson as they navigate family secrets and a perilous search for Charlotte's missing uncle tied to a European art forgery ring. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story includes themes of friendship, family, and adventure with some suspenseful moments but no graphic content.
Why we rated The last of August 12ME
The last of August is written at a Level 7 reading level across 318 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The last of August works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate The last of August as 12ME ("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 last of August explores family, mystery, adventure, friendship, and art — 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 family, mystery, adventure.
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
12ME — 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
- 9780062398949
- Pages
- 318
- Publisher
- Katherine Tegen Books
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction