My side of the story

Daphne Skinner

My side of the story

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Daphne Skinner

Reading Level 2 7C Ages 5-8 Matched

The text is written at a 2nd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.

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About This Book

What if everything you thought you knew about Ursula was wrong? Some say she’s a mean sea witch who tricked Ariel, but Ursula says she was just trying to help Ariel find love and impress King Triton. Could there be more to the story beneath the waves?

Themes

Friendship Family Adventure Fantasy World-Building

Quick Assessment

This early reader fiction book offers a playful retelling of a classic sea tale from Ursula's perspective, challenging traditional villain roles. Suitable for ages 5-8, it encourages young readers to consider multiple viewpoints and the idea that stories can have different sides. The content is light and appropriate for early readers with themes of misunderstanding and friendship.

Why we rated My side of the story 7C

My side of the story is written at a Level 2 reading level across 43 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 3.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, My side of the story works for readers up to grade 4.0.

We rate My side of the story as 7C ("Clear") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.

Thematically, My side of the story explores friendship, family, adventure, and fantasy world-building — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 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, adventure.
✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.

Maybe not for

! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

7C — Clear

Emotional

Clear

Physical

Clear

Social

Clear

Thematic

Clear

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

2/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

1/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level

Emotional Weight

Theme Richness

World Scope

Data Confidence

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