Splash's secret friend

Name: Splash's secret friend
Author: Cathy Hapka
ISBN: 9780545750264

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Cathy Hapka

Illustrated by Hollie Hibbert

Reading Level 3 LE · Mild · Emotional Ages 5-8 Matched

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

Bubbles pop and splash as dolphins race through the sparkling ocean waves. But today, Splash is nowhere to be seen at dolphin school, and Pearl, Echo, and Flip feel a flutter of worry deep in their fins. What secret could Splash be hiding beneath the shimmering surface of the sea?

Themes

Friendship AdventureJuvenile FictionAnimalsSchools

Quick Assessment

This early reader story follows a group of young dolphins as they navigate friendship and trust during the annual shark migration. When Splash befriends a lost young shark, the dolphins must decide whether to follow the rules or help someone in need. Suitable for ages 5-8, the book gently explores themes of empathy, courage, and overcoming fear in a child-friendly underwater setting.

Why we rated Splash's secret friend LE (Mild)

Splash's secret friend is written at a Level 3 reading level across 95 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 4 and up can manage Splash's secret friend on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Splash's secret friend as LE (Mild, mostly 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, Splash's secret friend explores friendship, adventure, juvenile fiction, animals, and schools — 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.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, adventure, juvenile fiction.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

LE · Mild · Emotional

Emotional

Mild ←

Physical

Mild

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: high

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