I believe in a thing called love
Maurene Goo
I believe in a thing called love
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Maurene Goo
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
The buzz of a crowded school hallway fills the air, mixed with the scent of fresh popcorn from the cafeteria. Inside, a Korean-American girl dreams up bold K-Drama moves to win the heart of the boy she likes. Can her clever plans turn high school into a love story worth watching?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows a Korean-American girl navigating middle school and using her love of K-Dramas to approach dating and social customs with humor and heart. It explores themes of cultural identity and young romance appropriate for ages 9-12. Parents can expect lighthearted content with relatable school experiences and no mature themes.
Why we rated I believe in a thing called love 12LE
I believe in a thing called love is written at a Level 7 reading level across 325 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, I believe in a thing called love works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate I believe in a thing called love as 12LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.
Thematically, I believe in a thing called love explores schools, multicultural, friendship, coming of age, and romance — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about schools, multicultural, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LE — Light — EmotionalNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780374304041
- Pages
- 325
- Publisher
- Farrar, Straus & Giroux (BYR)
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction