Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
The big dark
W. R. Philbrick
The big dark
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by W. R. Philbrick
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. Its HootRating code, ME, means moderate content, mostly emotional.
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About This Book
The cold wind bites as silence falls—no lights, no buzzing gadgets, just the crunch of snow underfoot. In the town of Harmony, everything has gone dark on New Year’s Eve, and danger feels closer than ever. Amid the freezing night, Charlie’s heart races with hope and fear as he treks through the snow to save his mom.
Quick Assessment
Set in a small New Hampshire town during a sudden blackout on New Year's Eve, this middle-grade novel explores themes of survival, family, and courage. The story follows young Charlie Cobb as he braves harsh winter conditions to find medicine for his diabetic mother while the community faces unrest caused by a threatening survivalist. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book deals with tension and mild peril in a way that is accessible and thought-provoking for middle-grade readers.
Why we rated The big dark ME (Moderate)
The big dark is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 178 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage The big dark on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.
We rate The big dark as ME (Moderate, mostly 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 — 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, The big dark explores families, adventure, survival, family life, 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about families, adventure, survival.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
For Parents
Content Intensity
ME · Moderate · EmotionalReading 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
Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780545789752
- Pages
- 178
- Publisher
- Blue Sky Press
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction