Grown

Name: Grown
Author: Tiffany D. Jackson
ISBN: 9780062840356

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Tiffany D. Jackson

Reading Level 3-4 VP · Very Intense · Physical Ages 13+ Mature Content

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is very intense with mature or graphic material. Its HootRating code, VP, means very intense content, mostly physical.

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About This Book

Enchanted Jones aspires to become a celebrated singer, but a mysterious and frightening event leaves her confused and scared, challenging her dreams and safety. She must piece together what happened and confront dark truths that threaten her future. This gripping tale explores the struggles of trust, ambition, and resilience in a harsh world.

Challenged Book

About & Banning Context

Ages 13+

In 'Grown' by Tiffany D. Jackson, the story follows Enchanted Jones, a young girl whose aspirations of becoming a famous singer take a dark turn after a chance encounter with renowned R&B artist Korey Fields. After a night that leaves her with no recollection and blood on her hands, Enchanted finds herself at the center of a murder investigation when Korey is found dead. The narrative delves into the complexities of her experience, highlighting issues such as misogyny, the dangers of fame, and the exploitation of young Black women. As Enchanted grapples with the aftermath of that fateful night, she confronts the harsh realities of her dreams and the predatory nature of those in power.

Key Themes

misogyny sexual violence identity fame race

Awards & Accolades (25)

● Margaret A. Edwards Award (body of work) (2025)
● Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award (2023)
● 2023 Gateway Readers Award (2022)
● 2023 Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (2022)
● 2023 South Carolina Young Adult Book Award, Young Adult (2022)
● Garden State Teen Book Award, Fiction Grades 9-12 (2022)
● Rhode Island Teen Book Award (2022)
● Sequoyah Book Award, High School (2022)
+ 17 more

Reviewed By

★ Publishers Weekly ★ Kirkus Reviews ★ Horn Book ★ Booklist The New York Times

Source: Unite Against Book Bans — Grown

Themes

Coming of Age Family Social JusticeMusic

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 3-4 book with very intense content intensity. Note: content intensity (Very Intense) exceeds what the reading level might suggest. Content themes include profanity, sexual violence, violence. Written for readers ages 13+.

Why we rated Grown VP (Very Intense)

Grown is written at a Level 3-4 reading level across 384 pages (approximately 61,925 words). Upper Grades (Ages 13+) is the typical interest range for this book — readers in that age band have the maturity and attention span suited to the story, separate from whether they can decode the words.

Read aloud, Grown runs about 6.9 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate Grown as VP (Very Intense, mostly physical) because the content sits in the "Very Intense" range — very intense or graphic content — peril, violence, trauma, or mature themes treated head-on. The strongest signals come from physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Profanity, Sexual Violence, Violence, Sexual Content, Gender Bias, Negative Stereotypes.

Thematically, Grown explores coming of age, family, social justice, and music — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about coming of age, family, social justice.

Maybe not for

! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
! Children younger than 13 — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic reading-level-vs-content mismatch.

For Parents

Content Intensity

VP · Very Intense · Physical

Emotional

Gentle

Physical

Very Intense ←

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Graphic or sustained depictions of trauma, violence, or mature content.