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Falling Hard

Jessica Burkhart

Cover of Falling Hard

Falling Hard

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Jessica Burkhart

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

Abby just admitted her biggest mistake, and now her teammates are ready to strike back! With her friends pulling away and a new crush on the team, everything Abby thought she knew is changing fast. Can she find her footing before everything falls apart?

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade novel explores themes of friendship, rivalry, and personal growth set in an equestrian boarding school. Suitable for ages 9-12, it addresses social dynamics and competition in a relatable way, with no intense content concerns. The story highlights the challenges of making amends and navigating changing friendships.

Why we rated Falling Hard 11LE

Falling Hard is written at a Level 6 reading level across 288 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Falling Hard works for readers up to grade 8.0.

We rate Falling Hard 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, Falling Hard explores friendship, family, animals, sports, and coming of age — 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 friendship, family, animals.

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
Light
Thematic
Light

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

2/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

3/10

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

288 pages
ISBN
9781665912976
Pages
288
Publisher
Simon and Schuster
Published
2024
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

AnimalsHorsesFamilySiblingsSocial ThemesFriendship