Good As New
Lori Mortensen
Good As New
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Lori Mortensen
The text is written at a 5th 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
Here's a secret: sometimes, what looks broken can be fixed in ways you never expect. Imagine discovering that your mistakes don’t have to define you, and every day brings a chance to start fresh. But that’s only the beginning.
Quick Assessment
Good As New by Lori Mortensen is a middle-grade novel about resilience and personal growth, suitable for ages 9 to 12. It explores themes of self-discovery and overcoming challenges in a heartwarming way. Parents should know this book offers positive messages with an age-appropriate approach to character development.
Why we rated Good As New 10LE
Good As New is written at a Level 5 reading level. Strong independent readers around grade 6.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Good As New works for readers up to grade 7.0.
We rate Good As New as 10LE ("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, Good As New explores coming of age, family, and friendship — 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 coming of age, family, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
10LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A 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
- ISBN
- 9781490093758
- Publisher
- Benchmark Education Company
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction