The night rider
Tom Ingram
The night rider
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Tom Ingram
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
This is not just any jewelry—it’s a set of gold pieces that carry a powerful curse! When two brave girls wear them, their lives change in ways no one could imagine. What happens next will show why some treasures are more dangerous than they look.
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction book tells the story of two girls who become connected through a cursed set of gold jewelry. Suitable for ages 9-12, it explores themes of friendship and mystery with a light supernatural twist. Parents should note the presence of a magical curse, but the story maintains an age-appropriate tone without graphic content.
Why we rated The night rider 9LE
The night rider is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 176 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The night rider works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The night rider as 9LE ("Light — 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 night rider explores friendship, mystery, and adventure — 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 looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" 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
- 0091252806
- Pages
- 176
- Publisher
- Hutchinson
- Published
- 1976
- Type
- Fiction