The Plague (Shade Books)
Jonathan Harlen
The Plague (Shade Books)
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jonathan Harlen
Illustrated by Tom Jellett
The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
The sharp sting on Will’s arm burns like fire, and a strange chill creeps over his skin. Strange whispers fill the air as the sickness takes hold, twisting his world into shadows. Fear grows—can anyone believe what’s really happening to him?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This young adult science fiction and fantasy novel follows Will, who falls ill after a mysterious pet store owner bites him, leading to a fatal disease that others refuse to believe. Suitable for teens aged 13-18, the story explores themes of illness, disbelief, and supernatural elements with some horror undertones. Parents should note the presence of disease and suspenseful, eerie content.
Why we rated The Plague (Shade Books) 8ME
The Plague (Shade Books) is written at a Level 3 reading level across 73 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 4.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Plague (Shade Books) works for readers up to grade 5.0.
We rate The Plague (Shade Books) as 8ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, The Plague (Shade Books) explores science & nature, fantasy world-building, health & daily living - diseases, and horror & ghost stories — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about science & nature, fantasy world-building, health & daily living - diseases.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
8ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781598898613
- Pages
- 73
- Publisher
- Capstone
- Published
- September 2007
- Type
- Fiction