What reading level is Kendra?

Kendra by Coe Booth is at a Level 6 reading level. Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Kendra appropriate for?

Kendra is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 11ME (Moderate — Emotional). Content flags: Family Change, Bullying, Romantic Content.

What genre is Kendra?

Kendra is fiction — African Americans.

Does Kendra have any content warnings?

Kendra has a HootRating of 11ME (Moderate — Emotional). Content flags include: Family Change, Bullying, Romantic Content. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Kendra?

Kendra by Coe Booth is 292 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated June 9, 2026

Kendra

Coe Booth

Kendra

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Coe Booth

Reading Level 6 11ME Ages 9-12 Matched Rich Discussion

The text is written at a 6th 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

Kendra's mom became a teen mom at just fourteen, but she didn't let that stop her from chasing big dreams—even Princeton! Now it's Kendra's turn to figure out who she is, even when her world feels upside down with family drama and tricky friendships. Can she find her own path when everything around her is changing?

Themes

Mothers and DaughtersFamily Coming of Age Multicultural

Quick Assessment

Kendra explores the complex life of a fourteen-year-old girl whose mother was a teenage parent but went on to attend Princeton. The story deals with family dynamics, adolescent challenges, and the struggle to find identity amidst difficult circumstances. Suitable for middle-grade readers, it sensitively addresses themes like teenage parenthood and family relationships without explicit content.

Why we rated Kendra 11ME

Kendra is written at a Level 6 reading level across 292 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Kendra works for readers up to grade 8.0.

We rate Kendra as 11ME ("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: Family Change, Bullying, Romantic Content.

Thematically, Kendra explores mothers and daughters, family, coming of age, 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.
✓ Family book clubs, classroom read-alouds, and parents who want a strong conversation hook.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about mothers and daughters, family, coming of age.

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.