Half-Life of Planets
Emily Franklin
Half-Life of Planets
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Emily Franklin
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
Have you ever wondered what happens when two very different worlds collide? Liana is determined to focus on her love for planets, not kissing, while Hank knows everything about music and thinks maybe, just maybe, Liana can teach him about first kisses. But can their unexpected friendship teach them more than they ever imagined?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores themes of friendship, grief, family dynamics, and self-discovery, set against a backdrop of planetary science and rock music. It features a protagonist with Asperger's syndrome and sensitively portrays interpersonal relationships and emotional growth. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story handles nuanced topics with care and positive messages about communication and understanding.
Why we rated Half-Life of Planets 11LE
Half-Life of Planets is written at a Level 6 reading level across 216 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Half-Life of Planets works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Half-Life of Planets as 11LE ("Light — 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, Half-Life of Planets explores friendship, family, grief, romance, and science & nature — 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, family, grief.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781336000612
- Pages
- 216
- Publisher
- Open Road Media
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction