Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
An Abundance of Katherines
John Green
An Abundance of Katherines
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by John Green
The text is written at a 5th 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
Colin Singleton has been dumped by nineteen girls, all named Katherine, and he's determined to crack the code of relationships using math. On a road trip with his quirky best friend, he faces wild adventures, unexpected challenges, and the chance to discover who he really is. This witty and heartfelt journey blends humor, friendship, and self-discovery in a unique and memorable way.
About & Banning Context
Colin Singleton has a peculiar pattern in his romantic life: he only dates girls named Katherine, and he has been dumped by each of them—nineteen times in total. During a road trip far from home, Colin, a once-promising child prodigy, finds himself with a significant amount of money, a feral hog pursuing him, and his loyal friend by his side. Determined to understand his relationship failures, Colin embarks on a quest to develop a formula he calls The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he believes will help him decipher the dynamics of love and ultimately secure a lasting relationship. This humorous novel explores themes of love, friendship, and personal growth, leading to unexpected revelations about life and relationships.
- ● A YALSA Michael L. Printz Award Winner
- ● An ALA YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection
- ● A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of the Year
- ● A Booklist Editors’ Choice
- ● A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
- ● A Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader’s Choice Award selection Updated 3.24.2025 Penguin Random House Contact BannedBooks@penguinrandomhouse.com (2025)
- ● An Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award selection
- ● A Deleware Diamonds Award selection
- + 6 more
Source: Unite Against Book Bans — An Abundance of Katherines
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 5-6 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include emotional: emotional loss & grief, emotional: fear & anxiety, emotional: mental health. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated An Abundance of Katherines 10ME
An Abundance of Katherines is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 227 pages (approximately 61,412 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.6 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, An Abundance of Katherines works for readers up to grade 7.6.
Read aloud, An Abundance of Katherines runs about 6.8 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate An Abundance of Katherines as 10ME ("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, physical peril, social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Emotional: Emotional Loss & Grief, Emotional: Fear & Anxiety, Emotional: Mental Health, Physical/Safety: Physical Danger, Social: Substance Use, Social: Domestic Violence, Social: Torture.
Thematically, An Abundance of Katherines explores friendship, coming of age, family, humor, and adventure — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, coming of age, family.
- ✓ Readers (and parents) who care about award-recognized writing — An Abundance of Katherines carries an award.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
- ! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
For Parents
Content Intensity
10ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A 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
- 0525476881
- Pages
- 227
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Published
- 2006
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 61,412
- Read-Aloud
- ~6h 49m
- Text Density
- Dense