High school high
Shannon Freeman
High school high
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Shannon Freeman
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 if starting high school felt like stepping into a whole new world? Brandi, Marisa, and Shane are buzzing with excitement as they dive into Port City High, where every hallway promises a new adventure. But with so many changes swirling around them, can their friendship survive the challenges ahead?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows three best friends as they navigate the exciting and sometimes difficult world of high school. It explores themes of friendship, growing up, and the pressures teens face, including exposure to drug addiction. Suitable for readers ages 9-12, it offers an accessible look at early adolescent experiences with some sensitive topics handled thoughtfully.
Why we rated High school high 9ME
High school high is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 199 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, High school high works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate High school high 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 — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Drug addiction.
Thematically, High school high explores friendship, coming of age, family, school stories, and multicultural — 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 friendship, coming of age, family.
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
9ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
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
- 9781622500376
- Pages
- 199
- Publisher
- Saddleback Educational Publishing
- Published
- 2013
- Type
- Fiction