Wild awake
Hilary T. Smith
Wild awake
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Hilary T. Smith
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 air hums with the strum of Kiri's guitar, sharp and alive in the summer heat. Every note carries her hopes and the secret ache she hides deep inside. But when a mysterious phone call brings her sister's past crashing back, Kiri's world trembles with new questions and old pain.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Wild Awake is a middle-grade novel that delves into themes of loss, mental health, and self-discovery through the eyes of 17-year-old Kiri. Intended for ages 9-12, it sensitively addresses the impact of grief and depression, making it a thoughtful read for families navigating similar topics. Parents should be aware of mature emotional content centered around mental illness and family secrets.
Why we rated Wild awake 12IE
Wild awake is written at a Level 7 reading level across 375 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Wild awake works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Wild awake as 12IE ("Intense — 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, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mental Illness, Loss & Grief.
Thematically, Wild awake explores mental health, secrets, family, coming of age, and friendship — 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.
- ✓ 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 mental health, secrets, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! 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
12IE — Intense — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
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
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780062184689
- Pages
- 375
- Publisher
- Katherine Tegen Books
- Published
- 2013
- Type
- Fiction