The Maynard Hayes affair
Dorothea Bennett
The Maynard Hayes affair
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Dorothea Bennett
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 gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
What if a simple school project uncovered a mystery no one was ready for? Maynard Hayes seems like an ordinary kid, but when secrets start swirling around him, everything changes. Can you solve the puzzle before it's too late?
Themes
Quick Assessment
The Maynard Hayes Affair is a middle-grade fiction novel aimed at readers aged 9 to 12. It follows a young protagonist who becomes entangled in a mystery that challenges their problem-solving and critical thinking skills. The story is appropriate for this age group, with themes centered on friendship and adventure, and contains no intense content.
Why we rated The Maynard Hayes affair 11C
The Maynard Hayes affair is written at a Level 6 reading level across 224 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Maynard Hayes affair works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The Maynard Hayes affair as 11C ("Clear") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.
Thematically, The Maynard Hayes affair explores friendship, mystery, adventure, and children's fiction — 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 friendship, mystery, adventure.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11C — ClearNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0698109716
- Pages
- 224
- Publisher
- Coward McCann
- Published
- 1979
- Type
- Fiction