There will come a time
Carrie Arcos
There will come a time
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Carrie Arcos
The text is written at a 7th 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
The sharp scent of rain-soaked earth fills the air as Mark flips through the worn pages of Grace's diary. Each word pulls him closer to the sister he lost and the adventures they never shared. Facing the weight of loss, he steps into a journey that will change everything.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows seventeen-year-old Mark Santos as he copes with the accidental death of his twin sister, Grace. Encouraged by his best friend, Mark embarks on fulfilling the items from Grace's bucket list, exploring themes of grief, family bonds, and cultural identity. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book sensitively addresses loss and healing within a Filipino American family context.
Why we rated There will come a time 12ME
There will come a time is written at a Level 7 reading level across 315 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, There will come a time works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate There will come a time as 12ME ("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 — 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, There will come a time explores filipino americans, death, families, brothers and sisters, and diaries — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about filipino americans, death, families.
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
12ME — 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
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781442495852
- Pages
- 315
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction