Black out

Name: Black out
Author: John Rocco
ISBN: 9781423121909

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by John Rocco

Reading Level 2 C · Gentle Ages 5-8 Matched

The text is written at a 2nd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes. Its HootRating code, C, means gentle content.

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About This Book

Power's out and the city goes dark—no TV, no phones, no computers! But when a family climbs to their rooftop, they discover a sky full of stars and a block party like no other. What happens when the lights come back on? The fun might just be getting started.

Themes

FamilyTechnologyFriendship

Quick Assessment

This early reader story explores a family's experience during a summer blackout, highlighting themes of togetherness and unplugging from technology. Appropriate for ages 5-8, the book uses vivid illustrations to contrast busy digital life with the joy of simple, shared moments. It encourages children to appreciate family time and community without screens.

Why we rated Black out C (Gentle)

Black out is written at a Level 2 reading level across 40 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 3 and up can manage Black out on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Black out as C (Gentle) because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.

Thematically, Black out explores family, technology, and friendship — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, technology, friendship.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

C · Gentle

Emotional

Gentle

Physical

Gentle

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: high

Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?