What reading level is Safe at home?

Safe at home by Glenda Brost is at a Level 4-5 reading level. Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Safe at home appropriate for?

Safe at home is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9ME (Moderate — Emotional). Content flags: Illness & Injury, Loss & Grief, Religious Themes.

What genre is Safe at home?

Safe at home is nonfiction — Health & Fitness.

Does Safe at home have any content warnings?

Safe at home has a HootRating of 9ME (Moderate — Emotional). Content flags include: Illness & Injury, Loss & Grief, Religious Themes. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Safe at home?

Safe at home by Glenda Brost is 174 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated June 9, 2026

Safe at home

Glenda Brost

Safe at home

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Glenda Brost

Reading Level 4-5 9ME Ages 9-12 Matched Rich Discussion

The text is written at a 4th 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

The faint scent of hospital flowers drifts through the quiet room, where Andrew clutches a worn teddy bear close. Every day brings new challenges as he fights a tough illness that feels as heavy as the cold, sterile walls around him. Through hope, love, and courage, his story shines with a light that never fades.

Themes

FamilyIllness & HealthFaith & SpiritualityBiographyEmotional Resilience

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade novel tells the poignant story of Andrew Neil Brost's three-year battle with Ewing's sarcoma, capturing his courage and the family's emotional journey. Suitable for readers aged 9-12, it sensitively explores themes of illness, loss, and faith without graphic detail. Parents should be aware of its focus on serious health challenges and the Christian perspective woven throughout.

Why we rated Safe at home 9ME

Safe at home is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 174 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Safe at home works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Safe at home as 9ME ("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 — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Illness & Injury, Loss & Grief, Religious Themes.

Thematically, Safe at home explores family, illness & health, faith & spirituality, biography, and emotional resilience — 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.
✓ Family book clubs, classroom read-alouds, and parents who want a strong conversation hook.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, illness & health, faith & spirituality.
✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.

Maybe not for

! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.