Failure Friday
Andrea Burns
Failure Friday
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Andrea Burns
The text is written at a 2nd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
Have you ever felt like you just can’t keep up with everyone else? Emma’s family lives and breathes running, but when she joins the running club, things don’t go as fast or as smoothly as she hoped. What if failing isn’t the end, but the start of something amazing?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This early reader explores themes of perseverance and self-acceptance through Emma’s journey in a family of runners. It gently addresses feelings of failure and encourages children to view setbacks as opportunities for growth. Suitable for ages 5-8, the story includes positive messages about resilience and overcoming self-doubt.
Why we rated Failure Friday 7LE
Failure Friday is written at a Level 2 reading level across 33 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 3.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Failure Friday works for readers up to grade 4.0.
We rate Failure Friday as 7LE ("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, Failure Friday explores family, coming of age, friendship, sports, and perseverance — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, coming of age, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
7LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781953945686
- Pages
- 33
- Publisher
- National Center for Youth Issues
- Published
- 2022
- Type
- Fiction