Bubbles

Name: Bubbles
Author: Abby Cooper
ISBN: 9780374302900

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

A Novel

by Abby Cooper

Reading Level 4-5 LE · Mild · Emotional Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

Sophie isn’t just any twelve-year-old—she can see people’s thoughts floating around like bubbles! When her mom feels really sad, Sophie takes on a triathlon for a school project about risk-taking. But juggling her secret power and the race might be harder than she ever imagined.

Themes

Risk-takingMiddle schoolsFamilyMental HealthFriendship

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade novel follows twelve-year-old Sophie as she navigates family challenges and a school project on risk-taking, discovering a unique ability to see thoughts as bubbles. It sensitively addresses themes of mental health, family bonds, and personal courage, making it suitable for readers aged 9 to 12. Parents should note the book touches on depression in a gentle, age-appropriate manner.

Why we rated Bubbles LE (Mild)

Bubbles is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 262 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage Bubbles on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Bubbles as LE (Mild, mostly emotional) because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

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

Thematically, Bubbles explores risk-taking, middle schools, family, mental health, and friendship — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about risk-taking, middle schools, family.

Maybe not for

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

For Parents

Content Intensity

LE · Mild · Emotional

Emotional

Mild ←

Physical

Mild

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Mild

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

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: high

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