The secrets we bury
Stacie Ramey
The secrets we bury
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Stacie Ramey
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Some secrets are so powerful they can change everything you thought you knew about your family. When the truth starts to surface on a hiking trip, the bonds between sisters are tested in ways no one expected. What happens next will make you question what’s really buried beneath the surface—and why it matters.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction explores themes of grief and complex family dynamics through the lens of a hiking adventure. Appropriate for ages 9-12, it sensitively handles emotional struggles and interpersonal relationships without graphic content. Parents should note the story addresses family problems and loss in a thoughtful, age-appropriate manner.
Why we rated The secrets we bury 11ME
The secrets we bury is written at a Level 6 reading level across 295 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The secrets we bury works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The secrets we bury as 11ME ("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 — 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 secrets we bury explores grief, family, interpersonal relations, hiking, and fiction — 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 grief, family, interpersonal relations.
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
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781492654209
- Pages
- 295
- Publisher
- Sourcebooks Fire
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction