The late bus
Rick Jasper
The late bus
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Rick Jasper
The text is written at a 4th 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
There's a secret about the late bus that no one talks about. When the friendly driver disappears, shadows creep closer and strange figures appear, waiting to strike. But that's only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade horror story follows Lamar, a student who rides the late bus home after school. After the regular driver dies, Lamar encounters frightening supernatural threats targeting the new bus driver. Suitable for readers aged 9-12, it contains spooky themes and mild horror elements appropriate for fans of suspenseful stories.
Why we rated The late bus 9MP
The late bus is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 112 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The late bus works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The late bus as 9MP ("Moderate — Physical") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from 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 late bus explores horror, schools, friendship, and supernatural — 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about horror, schools, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9MP — Moderate — PhysicalReal 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
1/10A 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
- 9780761377450
- Pages
- 112
- Publisher
- Darby Creek
- Published
- 2011
- Type
- Fiction