Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
We Are the Ants
Shaun David Hutchinson
We Are the Ants
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Shaun David Hutchinson
The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is very intense with mature or graphic material.
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About This Book
What if you found out the fate of the whole world depended on you? Imagine Henry, grappling with heartbreak and heavy feelings, suddenly facing a mysterious choice—save the planet or let it end. But can he make that call when his own life feels so tangled and uncertain?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This young adult novel follows Henry as he navigates grief, depression, and family struggles after the loss of his boyfriend. It explores heavy themes like mental health, addiction, and mortality, with some intense scenes including stalking, substance abuse, and traumatic events. Recommended for mature teens due to its emotional depth and sensitive content.
Why we rated We Are the Ants 10VE
We Are the Ants is written at a Level 5-6 reading level with a Lexile measure of 800L across 464 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 6.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, We Are the Ants works for readers up to grade 7.5.
We rate We Are the Ants as 10VE ("Vivid — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Very Intense" range — very intense or graphic content — peril, violence, trauma, or mature themes treated head-on. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Stalking, Addiction, Alcohol Abuse, Drug Use, Death, Claustrophobia, Vomiting, Injury.
Thematically, We Are the Ants explores depression & mental illness, grief & bereavement, dating & relationships, social themes, and juvenile fiction — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about depression & mental illness, grief & bereavement, dating & relationships.
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.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
10VE — Vivid — EmotionalGraphic or sustained depictions of trauma, violence, or mature content.
Content Flags
Was our "Very Intense" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781481449632
- Pages
- 464
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- January 19, 2016
- Type
- Fiction
- Lexile
- 800L