How we fall
Kate Brauning
How we fall
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Kate Brauning
The text is written at a 7th 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
Jackie’s heart races as she stands frozen on the edge of a secret that could change everything. Her best friend Ellie has vanished, and the new girl in town might be hiding more than anyone suspects. Just when Jackie thinks she’s falling out of love to protect her family, a shocking discovery pulls her back into a mystery she can’t escape.
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade mystery explores themes of friendship, family loyalty, and difficult emotional choices as Jackie grapples with the disappearance of her best friend and complicated feelings for her cousin. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story sensitively handles topics of missing children and complex family dynamics without graphic content. Parents should note the emotional intensity around loss, guilt, and interpersonal conflict.
Why we rated How we fall 12ME
How we fall is written at a Level 7 reading level across 303 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, How we fall works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate How we fall as 12ME ("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, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Missing Child.
Thematically, How we fall explores mystery, family, friendship, and coming of age — 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 mystery, family, friendship.
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
12ME — 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
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781440581793
- Pages
- 303
- Publisher
- Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction