The train of lost things
Ammi-Joan Paquette
The train of lost things
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Ammi-Joan Paquette
The text is written at a 4th 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
Here's a secret: there's a magical train that soars through the sky, gathering lost things from kids all around. Marty’s special jacket vanished, and he’s sure this train holds the key to finding it—and maybe even healing his dad. But when the train starts stealing instead of just collecting, Marty’s adventure is only just beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fantasy follows Marty, whose cherished jacket disappears, leading him on a magical journey aboard a mysterious train that collects lost items. As Marty teams up with new friends to stop the train from spiraling out of control, the story explores themes of loss, memory, and the bond between father and son. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book gently addresses emotional challenges with a hopeful and imaginative tone.
Why we rated The train of lost things 9ME
The train of lost things is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 191 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The train of lost things works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The train of lost things as 9ME ("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, 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 train of lost things explores magic, lost and found, family, friendship, and coming of age — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about magic, lost and found, family.
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
9ME — 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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781524739393
- Pages
- 191
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction