What reading level is Kate the great ... except when she's not?

Kate the great ... except when she's not by Suzy Becker is at a Level 3-4 reading level (Lexile 660L). Recommended for Lower Grades readers (Ages 5-8).

What age is Kate the great ... except when she's not appropriate for?

Kate the great ... except when she's not is recommended for Ages 5-8. HootRating: 8LE (Light — Emotional).

What genre is Kate the great ... except when she's not?

Kate the great ... except when she's not is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does Kate the great ... except when she's not have any content warnings?

Kate the great ... except when she's not has a HootRating of 8LE (Light — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Kate the great ... except when she's not?

Kate the great ... except when she's not by Suzy Becker is 262 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Kate the great ... except when she's not

Suzy Becker

Kate the great ... except when she's not

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Suzy Becker

Reading Level 3-4 8LE Ages 5-8 Matched

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.

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About This Book

Kate is the kindest fifth-grader you’ll meet—except when she’s not. When her mom asks her to be extra nice to Nora, who can be really mean, Kate has to decide what being 'nice' really means. Sometimes being great means standing up for yourself!

Themes

School storiesFriendshipFamiliesHumorSocial Issues

Quick Assessment

This early chapter book follows fifth-grader Kate as she navigates the challenge of being kind to a difficult classmate while balancing her own feelings. Suitable for ages 5-8, it addresses social issues like friendship, kindness, and conflict resolution with humor and warmth. The story encourages empathy and self-advocacy in a school setting without heavy emotional content.

Why we rated Kate the great ... except when she's not 8LE

Kate the great ... except when she's not is written at a Level 3-4 reading level with a Lexile measure of 660L across 262 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 4.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Kate the great ... except when she's not works for readers up to grade 5.5.

We rate Kate the great ... except when she's not as 8LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.

Thematically, Kate the great ... except when she's not explores school stories, friendship, families, humor, and social issues — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about school stories, friendship, families.