HootRated mascot HootRated

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated

Friend Thief (Diary of a 5th Grade Outlaw Book 2)

Gina Loveless

Cover of Friend Thief (Diary of a 5th Grade Outlaw Book 2)

Friend Thief (Diary of a 5th Grade Outlaw Book 2)

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Gina Loveless

Epic! Originals; Diary of a 5th Grade Outlaw

Reading Level 4-5 9C Ages 9-12 Balanced Read Page-Turner

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.

We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.

About This Book

When trouble stirs in fifth grade, a clever kid uses wit and courage to navigate friendship challenges and school adventures. Laughter and surprises await as secrets unfold and new alliances form in this lively diary tale. Perfect for young readers who love humor and heart in their school stories.

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 4-5 book with gentle content intensity. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 9-12.

Why we rated Friend Thief (Diary of a 5th Grade Outlaw Book 2) 9C

Friend Thief (Diary of a 5th Grade Outlaw Book 2) is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 224 pages (approximately 15,842 words). Strong independent readers around grade 5.3 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Friend Thief (Diary of a 5th Grade Outlaw Book 2) works for readers up to grade 6.3.

Read aloud, Friend Thief (Diary of a 5th Grade Outlaw Book 2) runs about 1.8 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate Friend Thief (Diary of a 5th Grade Outlaw Book 2) as 9C ("Clear") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.

Thematically, Friend Thief (Diary of a 5th Grade Outlaw Book 2) explores friendship, humor, family, coming of age, and school life — 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.
  • Reluctant readers who need fast-paced, hook-heavy stories to stay engaged.
  • Kids drawn to stories about friendship, humor, family.

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.

For Parents

Content Intensity

9C — Clear
Emotional
Clear
Physical
Clear
Social
Clear
Thematic
Clear

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: standard

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

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

8/10

High engagement — fast-paced, fun, and hard to put down. Great for reluctant readers.

Discussion Potential

2/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
4
Emotional Weight
2
Narrative Pace
9
Theme Richness
5
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

Similar Books

Based on content and theme analysis

See all books like this →

Details

Book Length

224 pages
15,842 words
1h 46m read-aloud
ISBN
9781524855741
Pages
224
Publisher
Diary of a 5th Grade Outlaw
Published
2020
Type
Fiction
Word Count
15,842
Read-Aloud
~1h 46m
Text Density
Light Text

Genres