Kim
T. Cooper
Kim
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by T. Cooper
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
Here's a secret: Oryon Small wakes up inside a body he never imagined—as Kim Cruz, an Asian American girl. Suddenly, everything feels different, from the way the world sees him to how he sees himself. But that’s only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
In this middle-grade fantasy, readers explore themes of identity, grief, and self-esteem through the journey of Oryon, who wakes up in a body that challenges his understanding of himself. The story tackles complex topics like body image, mental health, and the impact of societal expectations, making it suitable for readers aged 9-12 who are ready to engage with nuanced issues within a fantastical narrative. Parents should note the presence of LGBTQ themes and emotional challenges handled thoughtfully.
Why we rated Kim 11ME
Kim is written at a Level 6 reading level across 298 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Kim works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Kim 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, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Kim explores identity & self-discovery, friendship, family, lgbtq+ representation, and fantasy world-building — 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 identity & self-discovery, friendship, family.
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
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781617755187
- Pages
- 298
- Publisher
- Akashic Books
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction