The secret of the Rose
Sarah L. Thomson
The secret of the Rose
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Sarah L. Thomson
The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for older middle graders (ages 11+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
At just fourteen, Rosalind must hide her true identity to protect her family when her father is locked away for his beliefs. Disguised as a boy, she takes a risky position serving the famous playwright Christopher Marlowe, stepping into a world filled with secrets and danger. Together, they navigate a treacherous time where trust and survival are everything.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 5-6 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include fear & anxiety, physical danger, historical. Written for readers ages 11+.
Why we rated The secret of the Rose 10ME
The secret of the Rose is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 304 pages (approximately 64,050 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The secret of the Rose works for readers up to grade 7.5.
Read aloud, The secret of the Rose runs about 7.1 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate The secret of the Rose as 10ME ("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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Fear & Anxiety, Physical Danger, Historical.
Thematically, The secret of the Rose explores historical, survival, theater, coming of age, and family — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 11+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about historical, survival, theater.
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
10ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0060872500
- Pages
- 304
- Publisher
- Greenwillow Books
- Published
- 2006
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 64,050
- Read-Aloud
- ~7h 7m
- Text Density
- Standard