What reading level is The secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea?

The secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea by Eileen Beha is at a Level 4-5 reading level (Lexile 720L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is The secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea appropriate for?

The secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9LE (Light — Emotional).

What genre is The secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea?

The secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does The secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea have any content warnings?

The secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea has a HootRating of 9LE (Light — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is The secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea?

The secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea by Eileen Beha is 280 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

The secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea

Eileen Beha

The secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

The Story of Annaliese Easterling & Throckmorton, Her Simply Remarkable Sock Monkey

by Eileen Beha

Illustrated by Wright, Sarah Jane, illustrator

Reading Level 4-5 9LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

The sock monkey clutches a crumpled photo, heart pounding as the waves crash around Eastcliff-by-the-Sea. He’s darting through the bustling market, determined to find the one person his owner misses most. But someone is following him—who could it be?

Themes

Family AdventureSeparation (Psychology)Friendship

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade fiction follows the journey of an abandoned sock monkey on a heartfelt quest to help his owner reconnect with her mother. Suitable for ages 9-12, it explores themes of separation and emotional resilience in a gentle, accessible way. Parents should note the story sensitively handles feelings of loss and longing without graphic content.

Why we rated The secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea 9LE

The secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 720L across 280 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate The secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea as 9LE ("Light — 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 secrets of Eastcliff-by-the-Sea explores family, adventure, separation (psychology), and friendship — 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.
✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, adventure, separation (psychology).