War game
Anthony Price
War game
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Anthony Price
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
I’m going to tell you a secret: a pretend battle in the English countryside turns deadly real when a mysterious body is found in the river. Then, whispers of hidden treasure from long ago start to surface—but that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in modern England, this middle-grade thriller blends historical mystery with espionage. When a Civil War reenactment ends with a real body discovered, the story unfolds into a complex puzzle involving secrets, treasure, and intelligence agents. Suitable for ages 9-12, it contains mild suspense and historical references but no graphic content.
Why we rated War game 11MT
War game is written at a Level 6 reading level across 205 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, War game works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate War game as 11MT ("Moderate — Thematic") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. The strongest signals come from 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 mild intensity score.
Thematically, War game explores mystery, historical, adventure, and intelligence service — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about mystery, historical, adventure.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11MT — Moderate — ThematicLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A 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
- 0385120567
- Pages
- 205
- Publisher
- Published for the Crime Club by Doubleday
- Published
- 1977
- Type
- Fiction