Vanished
E. E. Cooper
Vanished
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by E. E. Cooper
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.
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About This Book
What if your best friend disappeared without a word on her birthday, leaving only whispers and secrets behind? Kalah is swept into a maze of friendship, betrayal, and mystery when Beth vanishes and the truth feels more tangled than ever. Can Kalah uncover what really happened before it's too late?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This psychological thriller follows Kalah, a middle schooler caught in a complex web of friendship, deception, and loss after her best friend Beth vanishes on her eighteenth birthday. The story includes themes of obsession, broken relationships, and suicide, making it suitable for mature middle-grade readers aged 9-12 who can handle intense emotional content and mystery elements. Parents should be aware of the serious themes and the suspenseful, sometimes dark tone.
Why we rated Vanished 12IE
Vanished is written at a Level 7 reading level across 307 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Vanished works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Vanished as 12IE ("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, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Suicide, Death, Betrayal.
Thematically, Vanished explores friendship, mystery, coming of age, psychological thriller, 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, mystery, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 9-12 — 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
12IE — 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
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780062293909
- Pages
- 307
- Publisher
- Katherine Tegen Books
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction