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The Prisoner of Cell 25

Richard Paul Evans

Cover of The Prisoner of Cell 25

The Prisoner of Cell 25

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

The Prisoner of Cell 25

by Richard Paul Evans

Reading Level 7 12ME Ages 13+ Balanced Read

The text is written at a 7th 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

Michael's heart pounds as he races through the shadows, sparks crackling from his fingertips. He’s not just any kid—he has electric powers that set him apart, but now, a dangerous group is closing in. Can he protect his friends before it’s too late?

Themes

FriendshipComing of AgeScience & NatureJuvenile FictionSocial Themes

Quick Assessment

This young adult novel follows Michael Vey, a fourteen-year-old with Tourette's syndrome and unique electric abilities, as he discovers others like him and faces a menacing organization intent on capturing them. Suitable for teens, the story explores themes of friendship, identity, and courage with some moments of suspense and mild peril.

Why we rated The Prisoner of Cell 25 12ME

The Prisoner of Cell 25 is written at a Level 7 reading level across 336 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Prisoner of Cell 25 works for readers up to grade 9.0.

We rate The Prisoner of Cell 25 as 12ME ("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 — 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 Prisoner of Cell 25 explores friendship, coming of age, science & nature, juvenile fiction, and social themes — 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 friendship, coming of age, science & nature.

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

12ME — Moderate — Emotional
Emotional
Moderate
Physical
Moderate
Social
Light
Thematic
Light

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

1/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

3/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
6
Emotional Weight
6
Theme Richness
5
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

336 pages
ISBN
9781451656503
Pages
336
Publisher
Simon and Schuster
Published
2011-08-09
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Science & NatureSocial ThemesAdolescence & Coming of AgeFriendshipScience FictionYoung Adult FictionAction & AdventureTechnology