...And a Happy New Year ?
Holly Bourne
...And a Happy New Year ?
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Holly Bourne
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
What if your New Year's party was filled with fun, laughter, and a little bit of magic? Imagine reuniting with your best friends after a long time apart, ready for jokes, dancing, and maybe even some surprises. But what if this night brings secrets that could change everything?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows three friends reuniting for a New Year's celebration filled with friendship, humor, and youthful romance. It explores themes of growing up, relationships, and personal revelations appropriate for ages 9-12. The story contains light romantic content and social interactions typical of preteens, with an upbeat and relatable tone.
Why we rated ...And a Happy New Year ? 11LE
...And a Happy New Year ? is written at a Level 6 reading level across 224 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, ...And a Happy New Year ? works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate ...And a Happy New Year ? as 11LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, ...And a Happy New Year ? explores friendship, coming of age, and love & romance — 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, coming of age, love & romance.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781474936774
- Pages
- 224
- Publisher
- Usborne
- Published
- Nov 28, 2019
- Type
- Fiction