All the Things We Never Knew
Liara Tamani
All the Things We Never Knew
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Liara Tamani
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Carli and Rex share a bond so strong, it feels like first love at first sight. But secrets hidden deep in their families and the pressure of basketball games threaten to pull them apart. Can their connection survive the challenges that come with growing up and chasing dreams?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This young adult novel explores the complexities of first love amid family challenges and the high-stakes world of basketball. Suitable for teens 13 and up, it thoughtfully addresses themes of identity, relationships, and personal growth in a multicultural setting. Parents should note that the story deals with emotional family dynamics but handles them with sensitivity.
Why we rated All the Things We Never Knew 12ME
All the Things We Never Knew is written at a Level 7 reading level across 384 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, All the Things We Never Knew works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate All the Things We Never Knew as 12ME ("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 — 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, All the Things We Never Knew explores coming of age, diversity & multicultural, friendship, family, and sports — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about coming of age, diversity & multicultural, friendship.
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
12ME — 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
2/10A 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
- 9780062656919
- Pages
- 384
- Publisher
- Greenwillow Books
- Published
- 2020
- Type
- Fiction