And the Stars Were Burning Brightly
Danielle Jawando
And the Stars Were Burning Brightly
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Danielle Jawando
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.
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About This Book
What would you do if your brother, someone you looked up to, suddenly wasn’t there anymore? Fifteen-year-old Nathan’s world shatters when he learns his brother Al has taken his own life. As Nathan follows the clues of Al’s last days, he meets Megan, and together they search for the truth — but what if the answers are harder to face than the questions?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This novel sensitively explores the themes of suicide, grief, and mental health through the story of a teenage boy coping with his brother’s death. It is suitable for readers aged 13 to 18 and addresses intense bullying and bereavement in a realistic and compassionate way. Parents should note that the book contains challenging emotional content that may be upsetting to some readers.
Why we rated And the Stars Were Burning Brightly 12IE
And the Stars Were Burning Brightly is written at a Level 7 reading level across 368 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, And the Stars Were Burning Brightly works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate And the Stars Were Burning Brightly 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, Bullying, Grief.
Thematically, And the Stars Were Burning Brightly explores family, siblings, death, grief, and mental health — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, siblings, death.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 13+ — 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
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
- 9781471178771
- Pages
- 368
- Publisher
- Simon & Schuster Children's
- Published
- 2020
- Type
- Nonfiction