Age rating and parents' guide:Sammy Keyes
by Wendelin Van Draanen
Ages 9–14
Sammy Keyes by Wendelin Van Draanen is best for children aged 9–14. It has mild violence, a few mildly scary moments, no romance and no bad language.
Thirteen-year-old Sammy Keyes investigates crimes around her California town while hiding her unusual home life.
Content ratings
How much of each a parent can expect, from none to strong.
- Violence
- Mild
- Scary moments
- Mild
- Romance
- None
- Bad language
- None
Content checked by Dhiraj Bodade, co-founder of Bookstaken, on .
At a glance
- Novel
- Part of the Sammy Keyes series
- A steady start that picks up quickly
- Mostly text
- Emotionally light
Great for kids who like
- Mystery & Detective
- Puzzles & problem-solving
Reading mood
- Mysterious
Good to talk about
- Family
- Puzzles & problem-solving
Books like Sammy Keyes
Similar stories for the same ages, none more intense than this one should be for its youngest readers.
Ages 9–11
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
by E.L. Konigsburg
Claudia and her brother run away to the Metropolitan Museum, where they investigate the mystery of an angel statue.
Ages 9–14
Murder Most Unladylike
by Robin Stevens
Schoolgirls Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong secretly investigate murders that adults dismiss or overlook.
Ages 9–14
The Explorer
by Katherine Rundell
Four children survive a plane crash in the Amazon and search for a way home with help from a mysterious explorer.
Ages 9–14
Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess
by Nancy Springer
Enola searches for her missing mother while escaping her famous brothers and solving a young marquess’s disappearance.
Ages 12–14
Stormbreaker
by Anthony Horowitz
Teen spy Alex Rider is forced into MI6 service and sent undercover to investigate a billionaire’s deadly school-computer scheme.
On these book lists
A good book is the start. A mentor makes it stick.
In a free 1:1 session, a trained Bookstaken mentor reads with your child, asks what they think and helps the reading habit last.
