Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
Bullyville
Francine Prose
Bullyville
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Francine Prose
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes. Its HootRating code, ME, means moderate content, mostly emotional.
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About This Book
Bart stands frozen as the bully shoves him against the locker, the hall buzzing with whispers about his father. The pain of loss feels sharper here, in a place that's supposed to be safe. But when will Bart find the courage to fight back?
Themes
Quick Assessment
After his father dies in the North Tower on 9/11, thirteen-year-old Bart wins a scholarship to an elite private school, only to be terrorized by a mentor who turns cruel while he is still grieving. The book handles grief, guilt, and psychological bullying with real weight, and it references the 2001 attacks directly, so it suits readers mature enough to sit with heavy emotions and institutional betrayal. Parents may want to talk through the bullying and the September 11 backdrop together, since the story is emotionally intense without being graphic.
Why we rated Bullyville ME (Moderate)
Bullyville is written at a Level 6 reading level across 272 pages. Upper Grades (Ages 13+) is the typical interest range for this book — readers in that age band have the maturity and attention span suited to the story, separate from whether they can decode the words.
We rate Bullyville as ME (Moderate, mostly 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 — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Loss & Grief, Bullying, Fear & Anxiety.
Thematically, Bullyville explores coming of age, family, school & education, bullying, and social justice — 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 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Family book clubs, classroom read-alouds, and parents who want a strong conversation hook.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about coming of age, family, school & education.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
For Parents
Content Intensity
ME · Moderate · EmotionalReading 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
Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Discussion Potential
7/10Rich themes that spark meaningful family conversation. Great for book clubs and read-alouds.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780060574970
- Pages
- 272
- Publisher
- Harper Collins
- Published
- September 1, 2007
- Type
- Fiction