What reading level is Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle?

Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle by Anica Mrose Rissi is at a Level 3-4 reading level (Lexile 650L). Recommended for Lower Grades readers (Ages 5-8).

What age is Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle appropriate for?

Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle is recommended for Ages 5-8. HootRating: 8LE (Light — Emotional).

What genre is Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle?

Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle is fiction — Juvenile Nonfiction.

Does Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle have any content warnings?

Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle has a HootRating of 8LE (Light — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle?

Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle by Anica Mrose Rissi is 116 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle

Anica Mrose Rissi

Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Anica Mrose Rissi

Illustrated by Park, Meg, illustrator

Reading Level 3-4 8LE Ages 5-8 Matched

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

What happens when you have two best friends who don’t get along? Anna is stuck right in the middle on a school trip to the zoo, trying to enjoy the animals while Sadie and Isabel argue nonstop. Can she find a way to keep the peace without choosing sides?

Themes

Family FriendshipSchoolFamily life

Quick Assessment

This early chapter book follows Anna as she navigates the challenges of friendship and loyalty during a school field trip to the zoo. Suitable for readers aged 5 to 8, it gently explores themes of friendship dynamics and conflict resolution without heavy emotional intensity. The story offers relatable scenarios for children learning to balance relationships.

Why we rated Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle 8LE

Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle is written at a Level 3-4 reading level with a Lexile measure of 650L across 116 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 4.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle works for readers up to grade 5.5.

We rate Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle as 8LE ("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, Anna, Banana, and the monkey in the middle explores family, friendship, school, and family life — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, friendship, school.