Alan and Naomi
Myron Levoy
Alan and Naomi
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Myron Levoy
The text is written at a 4th 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 soft creak of old wooden floors fills the air as Alan first notices Naomi, a quiet girl who whispers to shadows and seems lost in her own world. She’s a mystery wrapped in sadness, coming from a place far away and full of danger. As Alan and Naomi’s friendship unfolds, it touches something deep inside, showing how kindness can heal even the most hidden wounds.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel tells the story of Alan, a boy in New York City, and Naomi, a refugee child from Nazi-occupied Paris who struggles with trauma and behaves erratically. The book gently explores themes of friendship, mental health, and the effects of war on children, making it suitable for ages 9-12. Parents should be aware of the sensitive portrayal of trauma and the emotional depth of the story.
Why we rated Alan and Naomi 9IE
Alan and Naomi is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 192 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Alan and Naomi works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Alan and Naomi as 9IE ("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.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Alan and Naomi explores friendship, mental health, historical, new york city, and war and conflict — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, mental health, historical.
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
9IE — Intense — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780064402095
- Pages
- 192
- Publisher
- HarperColl
- Published
- 1977
- Type
- Fiction