Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
The magic looking glass
Tom Percival
The magic looking glass
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Tom Percival
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.
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About This Book
Hansel, Gretel, and their new friend Wolfie discover a magical mirror that leads them on an exciting adventure to recover a precious cutting from the enchanted Story Tree. Together, they explore a world full of wonder and friendship as they solve the mystery. This charming tale invites young readers to join in the magic and fun.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 4-5 book with mild content intensity. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 5-8.
Why we rated The magic looking glass LE (Mild)
The magic looking glass is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 178 pages (approximately 13,920 words). Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage The magic looking glass on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.
Read aloud, The magic looking glass runs about 1.6 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate The magic looking glass as LE (Mild, mostly 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 magic looking glass explores friendship, adventure, and fantasy world-building — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, adventure, fantasy world-building.
- ✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 4 more books in the Little Legends series.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
LE · Mild · EmotionalReading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate
Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
9/10High engagement — fast-paced, fun, and hard to put down. Great for reluctant readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
More in the Little Legends Series
The Spell Thief
Tom Percival
The Spell Thief
Tom Percival
Little Legends
Tom Percival
Little Legends
Tom Percival
The great troll rescue
Tom Percival
The great troll rescue
Tom Percival
The secret mountain
Tom Percival
The secret mountain
Tom Percival
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781338230635
- Pages
- 178
- Publisher
- Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 13,920
- Read-Aloud
- ~1h 33m
- Text Density
- Light Text