The lost child
Tom Collins
The lost child
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Hope for Kids Without Hope
by Tom Collins
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
Have you ever felt like you just don't fit in? Imagine being a kid who struggles to understand others and is trying to find a place where you belong. What happens when the path to friendship and acceptance is full of challenges you never expected?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows a young protagonist navigating social disabilities and the journey toward rehabilitation and counseling in the United States. It thoughtfully explores themes of social challenges and personal growth appropriate for readers aged 9 to 12. Parents should be aware that the story sensitively addresses the struggles of children with social disabilities but remains hopeful and supportive.
Why we rated The lost child 9ME
The lost child is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 117 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The lost child works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The lost child as 9ME ("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, social complexity — 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 lost child explores disability representation, coming of age, family, and social justice — 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 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about disability representation, coming of age, family.
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
9ME — 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
1/10A 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
- 0925190527
- Pages
- 117
- Publisher
- Thomas Allen Publishers
- Published
- 1992
- Type
- Fiction