The shuttered room, and other tales of horror
Howard Phillips Lovecraft, August Derleth
The shuttered room, and other tales of horror
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Howard Phillips Lovecraft, August Derleth
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
Thunder crashes as the old mansion's door creaks open, revealing shadows that twist and move on their own. You hear a whisper right behind you, but when you turn, nothing's there—yet the feeling of being watched never fades. What hidden secrets lurk in the shuttered room?
Quick Assessment
This collection of horror stories by H.P. Lovecraft and August Derleth offers chilling tales suitable for middle-grade readers aged 9-12. The stories involve classic supernatural and eerie themes that may be intense for sensitive children but generally avoid graphic content. Parents should note the book's suspenseful atmosphere and occasional mild peril elements.
Why we rated The shuttered room, and other tales of horror 11MT
The shuttered room, and other tales of horror is written at a Level 6 reading level across 205 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The shuttered room, and other tales of horror works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The shuttered room, and other tales of horror as 11MT ("Moderate — Thematic") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from thematic difficulty — 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 shuttered room, and other tales of horror explores horror, mystery, supernatural, 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 horror, mystery, supernatural.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11MT — Moderate — ThematicReal 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
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0586033998
- Pages
- 205
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Published
- 1970
- Type
- Fiction