Taking sides
Gallagher, Brian
Taking sides
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Boy. a Girl. a Nation Torn Apart
by Gallagher, Brian
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
Annie Reilly wins a scholarship that changes her life, but in 1922 Dublin, friendship isn’t simple when the city is split by Civil War. When her friend Peter secretly joins the rebels, Annie must decide where her loyalty truly lies—and it could put them both in danger. This is a story about choosing sides when everything you care about is at risk.
Quick Assessment
Set in 1922 Dublin during the Irish Civil War, this middle-grade novel explores complex themes of friendship, loyalty, and political conflict through the eyes of Annie, a working-class girl navigating new social circles and dangerous choices. Appropriate for ages 9-12, the story contains mild peril and historical violence related to the civil conflict, making it suitable for mature middle-grade readers interested in history and social issues. Parents should note the depiction of political unrest and moral dilemmas as children face real-world consequences.
Why we rated Taking sides 11ME
Taking sides is written at a Level 6 reading level across 215 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Taking sides works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Taking sides 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, physical peril, 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, Taking sides explores historical, friendship, coming of age, social justice, and family — 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 historical, friendship, coming of age.
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.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781847172792
- Pages
- 215
- Publisher
- O'Brien Press
- Published
- 2011
- Type
- Fiction