What reading level is The waking dark?

The waking dark by Robin Wasserman is at a Level 5-6 reading level (Lexile 870L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is The waking dark appropriate for?

The waking dark is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 10ME (Moderate — Emotional).

What genre is The waking dark?

The waking dark is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does The waking dark have any content warnings?

The waking dark has a HootRating of 10ME (Moderate — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is The waking dark?

The waking dark by Robin Wasserman is 454 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

The waking dark

Robin Wasserman

The waking dark

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Robin Wasserman

Reading Level 5-6 10ME Ages 9-12 Matched

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

What if your whole town started acting really strange after a terrible storm and mysterious deaths? In Oleander, only five kids know the truth behind the spooky changes—and they have to figure out how to stop it before it’s too late. Can they save their friends and uncover the dark secret lurking in their town?

Themes

Science & Nature Mystery Friendship AdventureDeath

Quick Assessment

The Waking Dark is a middle-grade science fiction mystery about five kids who witness a series of strange suicide-killings and a deadly storm in their small town. As the town’s residents begin behaving oddly, these children must work together to understand and stop the threat. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book explores themes of death and community with some suspenseful moments, but content is appropriate for middle-grade readers.

Why we rated The waking dark 10ME

The waking dark is written at a Level 5-6 reading level with a Lexile measure of 870L across 454 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 6.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The waking dark works for readers up to grade 7.5.

We rate The waking dark as 10ME ("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 waking dark explores science & nature, mystery, friendship, adventure, and death — 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 science & nature, mystery, friendship.