Friendships and backflips
Jane Lawes
Friendships and backflips
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jane Lawes
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 mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
What if starting secondary school meant balancing more than just homework? Imagine trying to keep your best friend happy while mastering tricky gymnastics moves at the same time. Can Tara pull off the perfect backflip without letting her friendships fall?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction follows Tara as she navigates the challenges of starting secondary school while balancing friendships and a passion for gymnastics. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story explores themes of time management, loyalty, and growing up, with gentle depictions of social conflict and emotional growth. There are no intense content warnings, making it a thoughtful read for children facing similar transitions.
Why we rated Friendships and backflips 9LE
Friendships and backflips is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 137 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Friendships and backflips works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Friendships and backflips as 9LE ("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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Fear & Anxiety, Friendship.
Thematically, Friendships and backflips explores friendship, coming of age, family, and sports — 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, coming of age, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Content Flags
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
- 9781409531807
- Pages
- 137
- Publisher
- Usborne Books
- Published
- 2012
- Type
- Fiction