I like you, if you like me
Myra Cohn Livingston
I like you, if you like me
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
Poems of Friendship
by Myra Cohn Livingston
The text is written at a 4th 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
What makes a friend truly special? Imagine discovering so many different ways to think about friendship — from laughter to secrets, from joy to challenges. Each poem opens a new door, but what will you find behind yours?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This collection features ninety poems about friendship from various contemporary and traditional poets, organized into nine sections that explore a wide range of feelings and experiences related to friendship. Suitable for children ages 9-12, it offers a gentle and thoughtful introduction to poetry and the complexities of relationships without intense content. Parents can expect a diverse, age-appropriate exploration of friendship that encourages emotional reflection.
Why we rated I like you, if you like me 9C
I like you, if you like me is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 144 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, I like you, if you like me works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate I like you, if you like me as 9C ("Clear") 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 like you, if you like me explores friendship, juvenile poetry, children's poetry, and poetry collections — 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 friendship, juvenile poetry, children's poetry.
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
9C — ClearNo 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
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780689504082
- Pages
- 144
- Publisher
- Atheneum
- Published
- 1987
- Type
- Fiction