Great
Sara Benincasa
Great
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Sara Benincasa
The text is written at a 6th 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
Everyone says Naomi’s summer in the Hamptons will be dull—just rich kids and fancy parties. But when she meets Jacinta, the mysterious girl throwing the wildest parties, everything changes. Secrets and surprises spiral out of control, and Naomi’s summer is anything but ordinary.
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel reimagines The Great Gatsby with a fresh, contemporary twist, following Naomi as she navigates the complexities of friendship, romance, and social pressures in a wealthy summer community. The story includes themes of LGBTQ+ identity and explores issues around wealth and social status, making it suitable for ages 9-12 with some mature social content. Parents should note the inclusion of romantic elements and social drama within a privileged setting.
Why we rated Great 11ME
Great is written at a Level 6 reading level across 263 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Great works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Great as 11ME ("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 — 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, Great explores lgbtq+ representation, friendship, coming of age, family, and romance — 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 lgbtq+ representation, friendship, coming of age.
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.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780062222695
- Pages
- 263
- Publisher
- HarperTeen
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction