Grounded

Name: Grounded
Author: Kate Klise
ISBN: 9780312570392

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Kate Klise

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

What would you do if your whole world suddenly changed in a blink? Twelve-year-old Daralynn faces heartbreak, family struggles, and unexpected new challenges in a tiny town where secrets and surprises hide around every corner. Can she find hope when everything feels upside down?

Themes

GriefFamilySwindlers and SwindlingFictionHistorical

Quick Assessment

Grounded tells the story of twelve-year-old Daralynn coping with the tragic loss of her father, brother, and sister in a plane crash. Set in a small Missouri town, the book explores themes of grief, family dynamics, and resilience, with some subtle historical and swindling elements woven into the plot. Appropriate for ages 9-12, it handles emotional topics sensitively without graphic content.

Why we rated Grounded 9ME

Grounded is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 720L across 196 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Grounded works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Grounded 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 — 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, Grounded explores grief, family, swindlers and swindling, fiction, and historical — 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.
✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about grief, family, swindlers and swindling.

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.