The silver moon of summer
Leila Howland
The silver moon of summer
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Leila Howland
Illustrated by Kim, Ji-Hyuk, illustrator
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
The Silver sisters step off the ferry, swearing not to fight this summer. Marigold spots Chloe, the niece of a famous director, and decides she must befriend her. But when Zinnie starts spending more time with Chloe, Marigold's jealousy bubbles up—will their promise hold, or is this the start of a summer showdown?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows the Silver sisters during a lively summer in Cape Cod as they navigate friendship, sibling rivalry, and personal growth. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story explores themes of interpersonal relationships and family dynamics with humor and warmth. Parents should note gentle conflicts around jealousy and growing pains, handled in an age-appropriate way.
Why we rated The silver moon of summer 11LE
The silver moon of summer is written at a Level 6 reading level across 292 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The silver moon of summer works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The silver moon of summer 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 silver moon of summer explores family, friendship, coming of age, and humor — 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 family, friendship, coming of age.
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
2/10A 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
- 9780062318756
- Pages
- 292
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction