The window
Amelia Brunskill
The window
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Amelia Brunskill
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
Anna and Jess look exactly alike, but inside, they couldn't be more different. When Anna falls to her death, Jess is sure it's not an accident and starts uncovering secrets that will change everything she thought she knew about her sister—and herself. What if the biggest mystery isn’t Anna’s death, but the hidden truths that come to light afterward?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This psychological thriller explores the complex relationship between identical twins dealing with grief and secrets after one sister’s suspicious death. Suitable for middle-grade readers ages 9-12, it tackles themes of loss, identity, and trust with suspense and emotional depth. Parents should note the story involves mystery elements and emotional challenges but handles them thoughtfully.
Why we rated The window 12ME
The window is written at a Level 7 reading level across 338 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The window works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate The window 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, 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 window explores secrets, grief, friendship, 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 secrets, grief, friendship.
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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781524720292
- Pages
- 338
- Publisher
- Delacorte Press
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction