Thick as Thieves
Megan Whalen Turner
Thick as Thieves
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Megan Whalen Turner
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for older middle graders (ages 11+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Kamet, once a simple secretary and slave, dreams of rising to power in a vast empire, but a sudden warning forces him on an unexpected quest filled with danger and deception. Journey through a richly imagined world where cunning, loyalty, and ambition collide in a thrilling adventure full of political intrigue and unforgettable characters. Fans of epic tales will be captivated by twists and turns that bring a vibrant ancient realm to life.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 6-7 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include political intrigue, danger, deception. Written for readers ages 11+.
Why we rated Thick as Thieves 11MP
Thick as Thieves is written at a Level 6-7 reading level across 352 pages (approximately 82,234 words). Strong independent readers around grade 7.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Thick as Thieves works for readers up to grade 8.5.
Read aloud, Thick as Thieves runs about 9.1 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Thick as Thieves as 11MP ("Moderate — Physical") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Political Intrigue, Danger, Deception, Power Struggles.
Thematically, Thick as Thieves explores adventure, friendship, coming of age, fantasy world-building, and politics — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 11+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Readers who like a steady plot with enough momentum to keep pages turning.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, friendship, coming of age.
- ✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there is one more book in the Queen's Thief series.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11MP — Moderate — PhysicalReal 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
5/10Engaging read with solid pacing and interesting themes.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780062568243
- Pages
- 352
- Publisher
- Greenwillow Books
- Published
- May 16, 2017
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 82,234
- Read-Aloud
- ~9h 8m
- Text Density
- Standard