Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
The vanishing season
Jodi Lynn Anderson
The vanishing season
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jodi Lynn Anderson
The text is written at a 5th 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
I’m about to tell you a secret: Maggie thought moving to a quiet town meant a quiet year. But then she met Pauline and Liam, and everything changed. When mysterious disappearances start happening, their friendship is caught in a storm—but that’s only the beginning.
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel by Jodi Lynn Anderson explores themes of friendship, love, and loss against the backdrop of a small town facing a series of tragic events involving missing teenage girls. Suitable for ages 9-12, it contains mature themes such as crime and homicide, handled with sensitivity but with emotional depth that may prompt important discussions. Parents should be aware that the story includes suspense and addresses the impact of violence on a community.
Why we rated The vanishing season 10IE
The vanishing season is written at a Level 5-6 reading level with a Lexile measure of 850L across 247 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 6.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The vanishing season works for readers up to grade 7.5.
We rate The vanishing season as 10IE ("Intense — 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, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Homicide, Crime.
Thematically, The vanishing season explores friendship, coming of age, romance, mystery, and family — 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 friendship, coming of age, romance.
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
10IE — Intense — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
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
- 9780062003270
- Pages
- 247
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction
- Lexile
- 850L