Colorblind
Leah Harper Bowron
Colorblind
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Novel
by Leah Harper Bowron
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
Lisa Parker is braver than anyone thinks—born with a cleft palate, she faces endless teasing but never backs down. Her teacher, Miss Annie, breaks barriers as the first African-American educator at their all-white school, standing strong against the whispers and stares. Together, their courage shows why standing up matters more than fitting in.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Colorblind tells the story of Lisa Parker, an eleven-year-old girl with a cleft palate who faces bullying at her predominantly white elementary school. The narrative also follows Miss Annie, the first African-American teacher there, highlighting themes of racial prejudice and resilience. Suitable for ages 9-12, this book thoughtfully addresses issues of bullying, diversity, and overcoming adversity.
Why we rated Colorblind 9ME
Colorblind is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 169 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Colorblind works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Colorblind 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, social complexity — 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, Colorblind explores african american teachers, bullying, race relations, prejudices, 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 african american teachers, bullying, race relations.
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.
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
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781943006083
- Pages
- 169
- Publisher
- Sparkpress
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction