The secret keepers

Name: The secret keepers
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
ISBN: 9780316389556

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Trenton Lee Stewart

Illustrated by Diana Sudyka

Reading Level 5-6 LE · Mild · Emotional Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

Reuben clutches the antique watch, its hands ticking louder than his pounding heart. Suddenly, the world around him begins to vanish—he’s invisible! But the danger is close behind, and only quick thinking can keep him safe. Who is The Smoke, and why is Reuben the key to stopping him?

Themes

MagicAdventureSecretsFriendship Mystery

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade novel blends mystery, magic, and adventure as Reuben discovers a watch that grants invisibility, leading him into a thrilling quest full of puzzles and peril. Suitable for readers aged 9-12, it explores themes of honesty, bravery, and the consequences of secrets, without intense violence or mature content. The story encourages critical thinking and ethical reflection in an engaging, age-appropriate way.

Why we rated The secret keepers LE (Mild)

The secret keepers is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 501 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 7 and up can manage The secret keepers on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate The secret keepers as LE (Mild, mostly 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 secret keepers explores magic, adventure, secrets, friendship, and mystery — 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 magic, adventure, secrets.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

LE · Mild · Emotional

Emotional

Mild ←

Physical

Mild

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Mild

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: high

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