This side of salvation

Name: This side of salvation
Author: Jeri Smith-Ready
ISBN: 9781442439481

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

a novel

by Jeri Smith-Ready

Reading Level 4-5 IE · Intense · Emotional Ages 13+ Heads Up

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes. Its HootRating code, IE, means intense content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

The most dangerous thing in David's house isn't his anger, it's the countdown his parents are keeping. Ever since his older brother was killed, David has been throwing his rage at anyone close enough to catch it, and now his mom and dad want him and his sister to cut every worldly tie before the Rush carries the faithful off to heaven. David has to figure out what he really believes before the answer is decided for him.

Themes

Family Coming of Age

Quick Assessment

After his older brother's death, a teen named David finds some comfort in his parents' newfound religious devotion, until they begin pressing him and his sister to sever ties with the outside world to prepare for an apocalyptic event. The story deals with grief, anger, family conflict, and the pull of a group that isolates its members, so it works best for readers ready to discuss faith, manipulation, and loss with a parent. Expect emotional weight and frank treatment of death, with no graphic violence or romantic content noted.

Why we rated This side of salvation IE (Intense)

This side of salvation is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 368 pages. Upper Grades (Ages 13+) is the typical interest range for this book — readers in that age band have the maturity and attention span suited to the story, separate from whether they can decode the words.

We rate This side of salvation as IE (Intense, mostly emotional) because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Death of a sibling, Grief and anger, Religious pressure and isolation, Apocalyptic themes.

Thematically, This side of salvation weaves together family and coming of age.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, coming of age.

Maybe not for

! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
! Children younger than 13 — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.

For Parents

Content Intensity

IE · Intense · Emotional

Emotional

Intense ←

Physical

Mild

Social

Moderate

Thematic

Moderate

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

Heavy themes explored in depth. War, death, abuse addressed directly.