And she was
Jessica Verdi
And she was
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jessica Verdi
The text is written at a 7th 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
The rustle of old papers fills the quiet room as Dara digs through a forgotten box. Suddenly, a secret slips out—a truth about her mom that changes everything Dara thought she knew. Now, with her best friend Sam by her side, she’s on a journey to uncover the real story of her family.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores themes of family, identity, and self-discovery through the story of Dara, who learns that her mother is transgender and had kept this secret before transitioning. Appropriate for ages 9-12, the book sensitively addresses complex family dynamics and the journey toward understanding and acceptance. Parents should note the story deals with themes of identity and family secrets but presents them in an age-appropriate manner.
Why we rated And she was 12ME
And she was is written at a Level 7 reading level across 353 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, And she was works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate And she was 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, thematic difficulty — 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, And she was explores families, secrets, single-parent families, transgender people, 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about families, secrets, single-parent families.
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
1/10A 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
- 9781338150537
- Pages
- 353
- Publisher
- Scholastic Press
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction