A totally awkward love story
Tom Ellen
A totally awkward love story
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Tom Ellen
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
The clatter of cafeteria trays and the buzz of whispered secrets fill the air as a new school year begins. Imagine the flutter of nerves when your crush might just like you back, but everything feels a little awkward and uncertain. Can two teens navigate the messy world of first love without losing themselves?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This young adult novel explores the complexities of teenage romance and self-discovery through the story of two high school graduates. It thoughtfully addresses themes of love, social customs around dating, and navigating personal identity during a pivotal life transition. Suitable for ages 13 and up, the book contains typical teen relationship challenges without explicit content.
Why we rated A totally awkward love story 12LE
A totally awkward love story is written at a Level 7 reading level across 307 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, A totally awkward love story works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate A totally awkward love story as 12LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, A totally awkward love story explores coming of age, romance, friendship, family, and social customs — 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 coming of age, romance, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780553537321
- Pages
- 307
- Publisher
- Delacorte Press
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction