What reading level is Cilla Lee-Jenkins?

Cilla Lee-Jenkins by Susan Tan is at a Level 6-7 reading level (Lexile 940L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Cilla Lee-Jenkins appropriate for?

Cilla Lee-Jenkins is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 11LE (Light — Emotional).

What genre is Cilla Lee-Jenkins?

Cilla Lee-Jenkins is fiction — Family & Relationships.

Does Cilla Lee-Jenkins have any content warnings?

Cilla Lee-Jenkins has a HootRating of 11LE (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 Cilla Lee-Jenkins?

Cilla Lee-Jenkins by Susan Tan is 250 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Cilla Lee-Jenkins

Susan Tan

Cilla Lee-Jenkins

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

future author extraordinaire

by Susan Tan

Illustrated by Wulfekotte, Dana, illustrator

Reading Level 6-7 11LE 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 is mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

Cilla Lee-Jenkins isn’t your average kid—she’s half Chinese, half Caucasian, and all about telling stories that matter. Her mixed-up world is full of family surprises and friendship challenges that shape her dreams. What will it take for Cilla to find her voice and become the author she’s meant to be?

Themes

AuthorshipRacially mixed peopleChinese AmericansFriendship Family

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade novel follows Cilla Lee-Jenkins, a racially mixed Chinese American girl navigating family life, friendship, and self-expression through writing. It explores themes of identity, cultural heritage, and belonging in an age-appropriate and engaging way for readers aged 9 to 12. The story offers a warm portrayal of family dynamics and the challenges of growing up bi-cultural.

Why we rated Cilla Lee-Jenkins 11LE

Cilla Lee-Jenkins is written at a Level 6-7 reading level with a Lexile measure of 940L across 250 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Cilla Lee-Jenkins works for readers up to grade 8.5.

We rate Cilla Lee-Jenkins 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, Cilla Lee-Jenkins explores authorship, racially mixed people, chinese americans, friendship, and family — 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 authorship, racially mixed people, chinese americans.

Maybe not for

! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.