Connect the stars

Name: Connect the stars
Author: Marisa De los Santos
ISBN: 9780062274656

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Marisa De los Santos

Reading Level 5-6 LE · Mild · Emotional Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 5th 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

Aaron stumbles over a rocky path, his heart racing as the desert sun beats down. Audrey’s voice cuts through the silence, urging him forward, but a sudden shadow looms ahead—what could it be? Their adventure is just beginning, and everything is about to change.

Themes

AbilityAdventure FriendshipBullyingWildernessComing of Age

Quick Assessment

Connect the Stars is a middle grade novel about two thirteen-year-olds, Aaron and Audrey, who meet at a wilderness camp in the desert. Through their journey, they confront themes of bullying, self-acceptance, and coping with physical and mental challenges. Suitable for readers aged 9-12, the story offers a heartfelt exploration of friendship and resilience within an adventurous setting.

Why we rated Connect the stars LE (Mild)

Connect the stars is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 341 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 7 and up can manage Connect the stars on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Connect the stars 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. The strongest signals come from emotional weight — 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 mild intensity score.

Thematically, Connect the stars explores ability, adventure, friendship, bullying, and wilderness — 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 ability, adventure, friendship.

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

Moderate ←

Physical

Mild

Social

Mild

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?