Them that glitter and them that don't

Name: Them that glitter and them that don't
Author: Bette Greene
ISBN: 0394846923

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Bette Greene

Reading Level 6 MS · Moderate · Social Ages 9-12 Matched Rich Discussion

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. Its HootRating code, MS, means moderate content, mostly social.

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About This Book

Somewhere in the rural South, a young Gypsy girl hums a tune that tells her she was made for something bigger. Everyone around her insists she should stop dreaming, but her voice refuses to stay quiet. Can one girl's singing really carry her past the place she was told she belongs?

Themes

Multicultural Family Coming of Age

Quick Assessment

A young Romani girl in the rural South believes her singing talent can take her far beyond what her family and community expect of her. The story explores ambition, identity, and family loyalty, and it addresses prejudice and hardship faced by a Romani family in a small town. It suits confident middle-grade readers who can discuss discrimination and differing expectations with a parent.

Why we rated Them that glitter and them that don't MS (Moderate)

Them that glitter and them that don't is written at a Level 6 reading level across 244 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 7 and up can manage Them that glitter and them that don't on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate Them that glitter and them that don't as MS (Moderate, mostly social) 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, social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Racial Discrimination, Poverty & Hardship.

Thematically, Them that glitter and them that don't explores multicultural, family, and coming of age — 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.
✓ Family book clubs, classroom read-alouds, and parents who want a strong conversation hook.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about multicultural, family, 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.

For Parents

Content Intensity

MS · Moderate · Social

Emotional

Moderate

Physical

Mild

Social

Moderate ←

Thematic

Mild

Reading 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.