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Crushing it

Joanne Levy

Cover of Crushing it

Crushing it

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Joanne Levy

Reading Level 6 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

Kat might not be the coolest kid at school—braces, clumsy moves, and all—but she’s the ultimate matchmaker for her friends’ crushes. While she’s busy playing cupid, can she still find a way to win Tyler’s heart? Sometimes putting others first is the biggest challenge of all.

Themes

Middle schoolsBest friendsSchoolsCousinsSelf-esteem

Quick Assessment

Crushing It by Joanne Levy is a relatable middle-grade novel about Kat, a quirky and self-conscious girl navigating the complexities of friendship and first crushes in middle school. Suitable for ages 9-12, it explores themes of self-esteem and social dynamics without any intense content, making it a light and engaging read for preteens.

Why we rated Crushing it 11LE

Crushing it is written at a Level 6 reading level across 229 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Crushing it works for readers up to grade 8.0.

We rate Crushing it 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, Crushing it explores middle schools, best friends, schools, cousins, and self-esteem — 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 middle schools, best friends, schools.

Maybe not for

  • ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

11LE — Light — Emotional
Emotional
Light
Physical
Clear
Social
Clear
Thematic
Clear

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

1/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

1/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
5
Emotional Weight
4
Theme Richness
5
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

229 pages
ISBN
9781481464734
Pages
229
Publisher
Simon and Schuster
Published
2017
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Middle SchoolsBest FriendsSchoolsCousinsSelf-esteemFriendshipFamily