How We Became Wicked
Alexander Yates
How We Became Wicked
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Alexander Yates
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
Hissing wings buzz close as Astrid ducks behind a crumbling wall, heart pounding. The Wicked, infected by tiny mosquito-like Singers, are closing in, but they always ask before they attack. Just when she thinks she’s safe, a shocking secret about the Vexed changes everything.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in a dystopian world divided by a dangerous insect-borne plague, this middle-grade novel explores themes of survival, identity, and morality through the eyes of three sixteen-year-olds. Suitable for ages 9-12, it contains mild peril and complex social dynamics but handles them with care and depth. Parents should be aware that the story involves tension and conflict surrounding infection and societal division.
Why we rated How We Became Wicked 12ME
How We Became Wicked is written at a Level 7 reading level across 368 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, How We Became Wicked works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate How We Became Wicked 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, physical peril, social complexity, thematic difficulty — 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 We Became Wicked explores survival, science & nature, dystopian, friendship, and coming of age — 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 survival, science & nature, dystopian.
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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781481419857
- Pages
- 368
- Publisher
- Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
- Published
- 2020
- Type
- Fiction