The Lost Diary
Dave Gustaveson
The Lost Diary
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Dave Gustaveson
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
Jeff Caldwell and his friends from the Reel Kids Adventure Club travel to Istanbul, where an unexpected discovery puts everyone in jeopardy. As they unravel the mystery of a missing diary, they face thrilling challenges that test their courage and friendship. Can they protect the people they came to help before it's too late?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 4-5 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include physical danger. Written for readers ages 9-12.
Why we rated The Lost Diary 9MP
The Lost Diary is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 144 pages (approximately 26,933 words). Strong independent readers around grade 5.1 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Lost Diary works for readers up to grade 6.1.
Read aloud, The Lost Diary runs about 3 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate The Lost Diary 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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Physical Danger.
Thematically, The Lost Diary explores adventure, friendship, and cultural exploration — 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.
- ✓ Readers who like a steady plot with enough momentum to keep pages turning.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, friendship, cultural exploration.
- ✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there is one more book in the Reel Kids Adventures series.
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
9MP — Moderate — PhysicalReal 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
5/10Engaging read with solid pacing and interesting themes.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780927545884
- Pages
- 144
- Publisher
- Reel Kids Adventures
- Published
- June 1996
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 26,933
- Read-Aloud
- ~3h 0m
- Text Density
- Standard