Then will come night and darkness
Jennifer Lawler
Then will come night and darkness
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jennifer Lawler
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.
We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.
About This Book
What if you had to travel across the country, chasing echoes from ancient stories, to find someone you love more than anything? Imagine meeting a new friend and a little girl who need you along the way. Could your quest for the past lead you to a surprising future?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Rebecca Hanover, a former professor and ex-convict, on a deeply emotional journey to reunite with her lost daughter. Along the way, she forms new connections that challenge her focus on the past and offer hope for healing. The story explores themes of loss, redemption, and resilience, suitable for ages 9-12, with sensitive content around death and complex family dynamics.
Why we rated Then will come night and darkness 11IE
Then will come night and darkness is written at a Level 6 reading level across 215 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Then will come night and darkness works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Then will come night and darkness as 11IE ("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, 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, Then will come night and darkness explores family, coming of age, friendship, adventure, and loss & grief — 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 family, coming of age, 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
11IE — Intense — 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
Similar Books
Based on content and theme analysis
Nightfall
Lisa Jane Smith
Nightfall
Lisa Jane Smith
Nightfall
Shannon Messenger
Nightfall
Shannon Messenger
When Night Comes
Alyssa Treff
When Night Comes
Alyssa Treff
What Time of Night Is It?
Jean Little
What Time of Night Is It?
Jean Little
Then You Were Gone
Lauren Strasnick
Then You Were Gone
Lauren Strasnick
The dark journey
Raymond, Diana.
The dark journey
Raymond, Diana.
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 1879378523
- Pages
- 215
- Publisher
- Xenos Books
- Published
- 2006
- Type
- Fiction