The rising
Temple Mathews
The rising
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Temple Mathews
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
Will Hunter just found out the devil is his dad—and that’s only the start of his problems. With his best friend trapped in a glass prison and a mysterious new girl who might be friend or foe, Will’s about to face the deadliest demons ever. Can he stop the Dark Lord from rising forever?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fantasy novel follows Will Hunter, a sixth grader grappling with the revelation that his father is the devil and the challenge of saving his demonic best friend. The story blends supernatural elements and friendship themes with some intense action and suspense, suitable for readers aged 9-12 who enjoy thrilling science fiction and fantasy. Parents should be aware of themes involving demons, dark forces, and mild peril.
Why we rated The rising 11ME
The rising is written at a Level 6 reading level across 277 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The rising works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The rising 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 — 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 rising explores friendship, science & nature, fantasy world-building, and adventure — 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 friendship, science & nature, fantasy world-building.
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
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781935618164
- Pages
- 277
- Publisher
- Borders
- Published
- 2010
- Type
- Fiction