What we lost in the dark
Jacquelyn Mitchard
What we lost in the dark
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jacquelyn Mitchard
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.
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About This Book
Allie Kim’s skin burns at the slightest touch of sunlight, but that won’t stop her now. She and Rob sneak closer to a dark secret hidden beneath the waves of Lake Superior—what they find could change everything. Suddenly, a shadow moves in the water—who’s really watching them?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Allie Kim, a girl with a rare allergy to sunlight, as she and her friend Rob uncover a dangerous secret tied to a man named Garrett Tabor. The story blends themes of friendship, justice, and family with elements of adventure and social issues, suitable for ages 9-12. Parents should note the presence of mild peril and themes related to racial identity and complex family dynamics.
Why we rated What we lost in the dark 11ME
What we lost in the dark is written at a Level 6 reading level across 262 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, What we lost in the dark works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate What we lost in the dark as 11ME ("Moderate — 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, physical peril, social complexity — 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, What we lost in the dark explores social issues, love & romance, families, action & adventure, and multicultural — 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 social issues, love & romance, families.
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
11ME — Moderate — 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
1/10A 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
- 9781616951436
- Pages
- 262
- Publisher
- Soho Teen
- Published
- 2013
- Type
- Fiction