What reading level is Loud Silence of Francine Green?

Loud Silence of Francine Green by Karen Cushman is at a Level 6 reading level. Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Loud Silence of Francine Green appropriate for?

Loud Silence of Francine Green is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 11ME (Moderate — Emotional).

What genre is Loud Silence of Francine Green?

Loud Silence of Francine Green is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does Loud Silence of Francine Green have any content warnings?

Loud Silence of Francine Green has a HootRating of 11ME (Moderate — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Loud Silence of Francine Green?

Loud Silence of Francine Green by Karen Cushman is 240 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Loud Silence of Francine Green

Karen Cushman

Loud Silence of Francine Green

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Karen Cushman

Reading Level 6 11ME Ages 9-12 Matched

A Junior Library Guild selection

The text is written at a 6th 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

Francine Green has always stayed quiet, but what if silence isn't safe anymore? When Sophie Bowman arrives at school, everything Francine thought she knew about fairness and courage gets turned upside down. Now, Francine must decide if finding her voice is worth the risk—and it just might change everything.

Themes

Friendship Coming of Age Family Historical Social Justice

Quick Assessment

Set in 1950s Los Angeles, this middle-grade novel explores themes of friendship, family dynamics, and personal courage against the backdrop of political tension and strict school rules. The story sensitively addresses the challenges of growing up Catholic during a time of censorship and fear, making it suitable for ages 9-12. Parents should note the historical context involving the House Committee on Un-American Activities and the discussions about free speech and morality.

Why we rated Loud Silence of Francine Green 11ME

Loud Silence of Francine Green is written at a Level 6 reading level across 240 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Loud Silence of Francine Green works for readers up to grade 8.0.

We rate Loud Silence of Francine Green as 11ME ("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, 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, Loud Silence of Francine Green explores friendship, coming of age, family, historical, 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 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 friendship, coming of age, family.
✓ Readers (and parents) who care about award-recognized writing — Loud Silence of Francine Green carries an award.

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.