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The last treasure

Janet Anderson

Cover of The last treasure

The last treasure

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Janet Anderson

Reading Level 6 11LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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

Ellsworth races through the dusty attic, clutching a faded map while shadows flicker on the walls. Suddenly, a creak echoes from below—someone else is in the house! What secrets will Ellsworth and Jess uncover before it's too late?

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade mystery follows thirteen-year-old Ellsworth as he visits distant relatives and teams up with his cousin Jess to unravel family secrets and search for a hidden treasure. The story explores themes of family dynamics and mystery appropriate for ages 9-12, with mild suspense but no intense content. Parents can expect a wholesome adventure centered on discovery and connection.

Why we rated The last treasure 11LE

The last treasure is written at a Level 6 reading level across 257 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The last treasure works for readers up to grade 8.0.

We rate The last treasure 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 last treasure explores family, mystery, and adventure — 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 looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

11LE — Light — Emotional
Emotional
Light
Physical
Clear
Social
Clear
Thematic
Light

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: standard

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

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

3/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

2/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
5
Emotional Weight
4
Theme Richness
3
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

257 pages
ISBN
9780439699938
Pages
257
Publisher
Scholastic
Published
2005
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Family LifeFamily ProblemsBuried TreasureSecretsMystery and Detective StoriesFamilyTreasure TrovesSecrecyDetective and Mystery Stories