How to Make a Wish
Ashley Herring Blake
How to Make a Wish
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Ashley Herring Blake
The text is written at a 7th 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
Everyone thinks you have to choose between family and your own happiness, but what if one girl could change that? When a small-town pianist meets someone who sees her for who she truly is, her whole world shifts. It’s not just about making a wish—it’s about daring to live your own truth.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores themes of family challenges and self-discovery through the story of a young pianist navigating her complicated relationship with her mother and her emerging feelings for another girl. It handles topics like parental alcoholism and LGBTQ+ identity sensitively, making it suitable for readers aged 9-12 who are ready for thoughtful, emotionally rich stories. Parents should note the presence of mature themes but no explicit content.
Why we rated How to Make a Wish 12ME
How to Make a Wish is written at a Level 7 reading level across 328 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, How to Make a Wish works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate How to Make a Wish as 12ME ("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 — 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, How to Make a Wish explores lgbtq+ representation, family, coming of age, and self-actualization — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about lgbtq+ representation, family, coming of age.
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
12ME — 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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780544815193
- Pages
- 328
- Publisher
- Clarion Books
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction