Among friends
Caroline B. Cooney
Among friends
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Caroline B. Cooney
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is very intense with mature or graphic material.
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About This Book
Six high school juniors embark on a challenging journey of self-discovery as they chronicle their lives in diaries for an English project. Through their honest writings, they confront difficult truths about themselves and the complex bonds they share with friends and family. This powerful narrative explores the struggles and growth that come with adolescence.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 4-5 book with very intense content intensity. Note: content intensity (Very Intense) exceeds what the reading level might suggest. Content themes include substance use, sexual assault, physical danger. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated Among friends 9VE
Among friends is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 169 pages (approximately 38,759 words). Strong independent readers around grade 5.6 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Among friends works for readers up to grade 6.6.
Read aloud, Among friends runs about 4.3 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Among friends as 9VE ("Vivid — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Very Intense" range — very intense or graphic content — peril, violence, trauma, or mature themes treated head-on. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Substance Use, Sexual Assault, Physical Danger, Graphic Violence, Emotional: Mental Health, Emotional: Fear & Anxiety.
Thematically, Among friends explores coming of age, friendship, family, identity & self-discovery, and social justice — 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, friendship, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 13+ — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9VE — Vivid — EmotionalGraphic or sustained depictions of trauma, violence, or mature content.
Content Flags
Was our "Very Intense" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 0440226929
- Pages
- 169
- Publisher
- Laurel Leaf
- Published
- 1996
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 38,759
- Read-Aloud
- ~4h 18m
- Text Density
- Standard