The bright siders
Jen Wilde
The bright siders
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jen Wilde
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
Nobody expects a drummer to steal the spotlight, but this girl breaks all the rules—and the headlines. Caught between family secrets and flashing cameras, she’s about to prove that staying true to yourself is the loudest beat of all. Why does the world want her to fail? Because her story is just getting started.
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows a bisexual teen drummer who navigates fame, family conflicts, and relationship challenges while staying true to herself. Appropriate for ages 9-12, the story explores themes of identity, music, and personal growth amidst the pressures of celebrity culture. Parents should note the presence of relationship drama and discussions of sexuality handled with age-appropriate sensitivity.
Why we rated The bright siders 11LE
The bright siders is written at a Level 6 reading level across 297 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The bright siders works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The bright siders as 11LE ("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, The bright siders explores music, friendship, family, identity & self-discovery, and lgbtq+ representation — 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 music, friendship, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781250189714
- Pages
- 297
- Publisher
- Swoon Reads
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction