What reading level is The peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee?

The peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee by Erin Petti is at a Level 4-5 reading level (Lexile 740L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is The peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee appropriate for?

The peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9LE (Light — Emotional).

What genre is The peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee?

The peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does The peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee have any content warnings?

The peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee has a HootRating of 9LE (Light — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is The peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee?

The peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee by Erin Petti is 209 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

The peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee

Erin Petti

The peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Erin Petti

Reading Level 4-5 9LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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.

Find on Amazon Listen on Audible

We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.

About This Book

The creak of the old wooden floor echoes through the dark, chilly house as Thelma Bee clutches a mysterious jewelry box. A whisper floats through the air, soft yet urgent: 'Return.' With her dad taken by a ghost and shadows lurking, can Thelma unravel the secret before the magic turns against her?

Themes

FantasyGhostsMagicAdventure Mystery

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fantasy novel follows eleven-year-old Thelma Bee, a young scientist whose father is kidnapped by a ghost. The story blends mystery, magic, and adventure, suitable for readers ages 9 to 12. It contains mild supernatural themes and moments of suspense but is appropriate for its target audience.

Why we rated The peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee 9LE

The peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 740L across 209 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate The peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee 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 peculiar haunting of Thelma Bee explores fantasy, ghosts, magic, adventure, and mystery — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.