What reading level is Power to the purple!?

Power to the purple! by Sophie Bell is at a Level 5-6 reading level (Lexile 820L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Power to the purple! appropriate for?

Power to the purple! is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 10LE (Light — Emotional).

What genre is Power to the purple!?

Power to the purple! is fiction — Adventure stories.

Does Power to the purple! have any content warnings?

Power to the purple! has a HootRating of 10LE (Light — 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 Power to the purple!?

Power to the purple! by Sophie Bell is 316 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Power to the purple!

Sophie Bell

Power to the purple!

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Sophie Bell

Illustrated by Beavers, Ethen, illustrator

Reading Level 5-6 10LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.

Find on Amazon Listen on Audible

We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.

About This Book

The sharp fizz of bubbling purple goo fills the air as it splatters all over four best friends during their secret sleepover in a glowing, see-through lab. Suddenly, their bodies start to change in wild and unexpected ways, unlocking superpowers they never dreamed of. What will happen next when friendship and new abilities collide?

Themes

Human geneticsAdventure FriendshipGirlsJuvenile fiction

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade adventure follows four friends who gain superpowers after exposure to a mysterious, genetically altering purple substance during a sleepover in a futuristic lab. It explores themes of friendship, genetics, and empowerment suitable for ages 9 to 12. The story is exciting but contains no intense content, making it appropriate for this age group.

Why we rated Power to the purple! 10LE

Power to the purple! is written at a Level 5-6 reading level with a Lexile measure of 820L across 316 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 6.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Power to the purple! works for readers up to grade 7.5.

We rate Power to the purple! as 10LE ("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, Power to the purple! explores human genetics, adventure, friendship, girls, and juvenile fiction — 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 human genetics, adventure, friendship.