Bones of a Saint
Grant Farley
Bones of a Saint
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Grant Farley
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
I’m going to tell you a secret about a town where some kids are caught in a gang’s tricky grip. RJ has never left Arcangel, but when the Blackjacks ask him to do something scary, he starts to fight back. What he doesn’t know is that this battle is just the start of something much bigger.
Quick Assessment
Set in late 1970s Northern California, this middle-grade novel explores themes of gang influence, family loyalty, and personal growth. Fifteen-year-old RJ navigates difficult choices as he protects his disabled younger brother and confronts a dangerous local gang. The story contains some depictions of crime and social hardship, making it appropriate for readers aged 9-12 who are ready for thoughtful, mature themes.
Why we rated Bones of a Saint 11ME
Bones of a Saint is written at a Level 6 reading level across 288 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Bones of a Saint works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Bones of a Saint 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, social complexity, thematic difficulty — 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, Bones of a Saint explores coming of age, family, gangs, disability representation, and multicultural — 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 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about coming of age, family, gangs.
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
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781641291170
- Pages
- 288
- Publisher
- Soho Press
- Published
- 2020
- Type
- Fiction