What reading level is Wicked?

Wicked by Sara Shepard is at a Level 5-6 reading level. Recommended for Upper Grades readers (Ages 13+).

What age is Wicked appropriate for?

Wicked is recommended for Ages 13+. HootRating: 10ME (Moderate — Emotional). Content flags: Bullying, Fear & Anxiety, Romantic Content, Mild Peril, Emotional: Identity & Self-Discovery.

What genre is Wicked?

Wicked is fiction — Juvenile Fiction. Part of the Pretty Little Liars series.

Does Wicked have any content warnings?

Wicked has a HootRating of 10ME (Moderate — Emotional). Content flags include: Bullying, Fear & Anxiety, Romantic Content, Mild Peril, Emotional: Identity & Self-Discovery. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Wicked?

Wicked by Sara Shepard is 310 pages (approximately 71,152 words).

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Wicked

Sara Shepard

Wicked

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Sara Shepard

Pretty Little Liars

Reading Level 5-6 10ME Ages 13+ Matched

The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.

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About This Book

In the seemingly perfect town of Rosewood, four friends struggle to leave their troubled pasts behind, but old secrets refuse to stay buried. As they navigate tricky friendships, risky choices, and new romances, the girls find themselves drawn back into a world of mystery and danger. Trust is fragile, and someone is always lurking, ready to expose the truth.

Themes

Friendship Mystery Coming of Age Romance Social Justice

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 5-6 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include bullying, fear & anxiety, romantic content. Written for readers ages 13+.

Why we rated Wicked 10ME

Wicked is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 310 pages (approximately 71,152 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.4 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Wicked works for readers up to grade 7.4.

Read aloud, Wicked runs about 7.9 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate Wicked as 10ME ("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.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Bullying, Fear & Anxiety, Romantic Content, Mild Peril, Emotional: Identity & Self-Discovery.

Thematically, Wicked explores friendship, mystery, coming of age, romance, and social justice — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Readers who like a steady plot with enough momentum to keep pages turning.
✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, mystery, coming of age.
✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 13 more books in the Pretty Little Liars series.