These Deadly Games
Diana Urban
These Deadly Games
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Diana Urban
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.
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About This Book
When Crystal Donovan gets a chilling message demanding she play a deadly game to save her sister, she faces a terrifying race against time. As the stakes rise, she must outsmart a ruthless kidnapper without endangering those she cares about. Every choice could mean losing everything she holds dear.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 4-5 book with intense content intensity. Content themes include physical danger, fear & anxiety, emotional: loss & grief. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated These Deadly Games 9IE
These Deadly Games is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 416 pages (approximately 94,584 words). Strong independent readers around grade 5.8 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, These Deadly Games works for readers up to grade 6.8.
Read aloud, These Deadly Games runs about 10.5 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate These Deadly Games as 9IE ("Intense — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Physical Danger, Fear & Anxiety, Emotional: Loss & Grief.
Thematically, These Deadly Games explores family, survival, suspense, and coming of age — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, survival, suspense.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 13+ — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
- ! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9IE — Intense — EmotionalHeavy themes explored in depth. War, death, abuse addressed directly.
Content Flags
Was our "Intense" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 9781250797193
- Pages
- 416
- Publisher
- Wednesday Books
- Published
- Feb 01, 2022
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 94,584
- Read-Aloud
- ~10h 31m
- Text Density
- Standard