The return of Abracadabra
Michael Dahl
The return of Abracadabra
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Michael Dahl
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
Here’s a secret: the Abracadabra hotel isn’t just any place for retired magicians. Strange things keep disappearing, and only Charlie Hitchcock and Tyler Yu can solve the mystery. But that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade mystery combines two stories where young detectives Charlie Hitchcock and Tyler Yu investigate odd occurrences at a hotel for retired magicians. It features themes of friendship, problem-solving, and magic, suitable for readers ages 9-12. The content is light on conflict and appropriate for this age group.
Why we rated The return of Abracadabra 11C
The return of Abracadabra is written at a Level 6 reading level across 206 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The return of Abracadabra works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The return of Abracadabra 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 return of Abracadabra explores mystery, friendship, magic, 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 mystery, friendship, magic.
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
- 9781434247216
- Pages
- 206
- Publisher
- Capstone
- Published
- 2013
- Type
- Fiction