The snake harvest
Francis John Thornton
The snake harvest
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Francis John Thornton
The text is written at a 7th 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
What if a clever detective faced the darkest secrets hiding in turn-of-the-century Philadelphia? Strange and scary crimes have everyone on edge, but only one brilliant mind can solve the mystery. Can you guess who the killer is before the story unfolds?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in early 1900s Philadelphia, this psychological fiction novel follows a detective reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes as he investigates a series of gruesome murders. Suitable for middle-grade readers aged 9-12, the book contains some suspenseful and intense scenes that may evoke fear or anxiety. Parents should be aware of the mature themes related to crime and psychological tension.
Why we rated The snake harvest 12ME
The snake harvest is written at a Level 7 reading level across 348 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The snake harvest works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate The snake harvest as 12ME ("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.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, The snake harvest explores mystery, psychological, and historical — 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 mystery, psychological, historical.
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
12ME — 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
2/10A 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
- 069810904X
- Pages
- 348
- Publisher
- Tudor Publishers
- Published
- 1978
- Type
- Fiction