The Turning of the Tide
Reginald Hill
The Turning of the Tide
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Reginald Hill
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
Emily stands by the quiet shore, her heart pounding as she spots something dark and still in the shallow water. Suddenly, everything she thought she knew about safety and her husband's threats feels like a distant memory. But what if the mystery is far closer—and darker—than she ever imagined?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade mystery follows Emily as she navigates a small coastal town after leaving her controlling husband. The story includes suspenseful elements such as threats and the discovery of a body, suitable for readers aged 9-12 who enjoy detective and suspense fiction. Parents should note the presence of tense situations and mild peril, but the book handles these themes with age-appropriate sensitivity.
Why we rated The Turning of the Tide 11ME
The Turning of the Tide is written at a Level 6 reading level across 248 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Turning of the Tide works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The Turning of the Tide 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, 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 Turning of the Tide explores mystery, suspense, family, 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 mystery, suspense, family.
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
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
3/10A 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
- 9780708992869
- Pages
- 248
- Publisher
- Charnwood Pub
- Published
- November 2001
- Type
- Fiction