Anything but ordinary
Valerie Hobbs
Anything but ordinary
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Valerie Hobbs
The text is written at a 4th 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
Winifred stands frozen in the crowded college dorm, her heart racing as she watches Bernie walk away, leaving behind the promises they made. High school feels like a lifetime ago, and now everything is changing—can they still hold on to who they really are? Suddenly, a decision will change everything.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores the journey of two young teens, Winifred and Bernie, as they face changes in their relationship and personal identities through high school and college. It candidly addresses themes of loss, growing up, and the challenges of fitting in, suitable for readers ages 9 to 12. Parents should note the story touches on bereavement and the emotional impact of family changes but handles these with sensitivity and humor.
Why we rated Anything but ordinary 9ME
Anything but ordinary is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 168 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Anything but ordinary works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Anything but ordinary as 9ME ("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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Bereavement.
Thematically, Anything but ordinary explores friendship, coming of age, family, romance, and identity & self-discovery — 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.
- ✓ 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.
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
9ME — 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
1/10A 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
- 9780374303747
- Pages
- 168
- Publisher
- Farrar, Straus and Giroux
- Published
- 2007
- Type
- Fiction