What reading level is Call me by my name?

Call me by my name by John Ed Bradley is at a Level 6-7 reading level (Lexile 930L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Call me by my name appropriate for?

Call me by my name is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 11IS (Intense — Social).

What genre is Call me by my name?

Call me by my name is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does Call me by my name have any content warnings?

Call me by my name has a HootRating of 11IS (Intense — Social). 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 Call me by my name?

Call me by my name by John Ed Bradley is 265 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Call me by my name

John Ed Bradley

Call me by my name

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by John Ed Bradley

Reading Level 6-7 11IS Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 6th 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 sharp crack of a football echoes under the hot Louisiana sun, where two teammates from very different worlds catch passes and secrets. Their friendship grows stronger with every game, but the shadows of segregation and fear threaten to tear them apart. Can trust and courage break through walls built by history?

Themes

Race relationsAfrican AmericansFootballFriendshipHistory

Quick Assessment

Set in late 1960s Louisiana, this middle-grade novel explores the friendship between two high school football players—one Black, one white—amid the challenges of segregation and racial prejudice. It sensitively addresses themes of race relations and social change, suitable for readers ages 9-12, with thoughtful portrayals of historical tensions and personal growth.

Why we rated Call me by my name 11IS

Call me by my name is written at a Level 6-7 reading level with a Lexile measure of 930L across 265 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Call me by my name works for readers up to grade 8.5.

We rate Call me by my name as 11IS ("Intense — Social") 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, social complexity, 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, Call me by my name explores race relations, african americans, football, friendship, and history — 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 race relations, african americans, football.

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.