What reading level is Going Over?

Going Over by Beth Kephart is at a Level 4-5 reading level (Lexile 790L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Going Over appropriate for?

Going Over is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9ME (Moderate — Emotional).

What genre is Going Over?

Going Over is fiction — Young Adult Fiction.

Does Going Over have any content warnings?

Going Over has a HootRating of 9ME (Moderate — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Going Over?

Going Over by Beth Kephart is 264 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Going Over

Beth Kephart

Going Over

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Beth Kephart

Reading Level 4-5 9ME Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.

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About This Book

Ada and Stefan live in a city split in two, where one wrong move could change everything. Ada's world is full of music and rebellion, while Stefan's is shadowed by walls and silence. When love dares to cross the divide, will Stefan risk everything to be free?

Themes

FamilyLoveHistorical Social Justice Coming of Age Adventure

Quick Assessment

Set in 1983 Berlin during the Cold War, this middle-grade novel explores the challenges of life divided by the Berlin Wall through the eyes of two young protagonists. It touches on themes of love, courage, and sacrifice against a backdrop of political tension and cultural difference. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story sensitively portrays historical context and the emotional complexities of separation without graphic content.

Why we rated Going Over 9ME

Going Over is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 790L across 264 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Going Over works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Going Over as 9ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

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

Thematically, Going Over explores family, love, historical, social justice, and coming of age — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.

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.
✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, love, historical.

Maybe not for

! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.