Alan Cole Is Not a Coward
Eric Bell
Alan Cole Is Not a Coward
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Eric Bell
The text is written at a 6th 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
Have you ever had a secret so big it felt like a storm inside? Alan Cole faces tough challenges: a mean brother, a strict dad, and a crush he can’t share. When a daring game begins, will Alan find the courage to be himself?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores themes of family dynamics, sibling rivalry, and self-discovery as Alan Cole navigates the challenges of coming out and gaining confidence in middle school. Suitable for ages 9-12, it addresses LGBTQ topics and family conflict with humor and heart, offering a relatable story for readers experiencing similar issues.
Why we rated Alan Cole Is Not a Coward 11ME
Alan Cole Is Not a Coward is written at a Level 6 reading level across 272 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Alan Cole Is Not a Coward works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Alan Cole Is Not a Coward as 11ME ("Moderate — 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, social complexity — 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 Cole Is Not a Coward explores family, siblings, lgbtq+ representation, coming of age, and friendship — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, siblings, lgbtq+ representation.
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
11ME — Moderate — 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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780062567024
- Pages
- 272
- Publisher
- Katherine Tegen Books
- Published
- Sep 05, 2017
- Type
- Fiction