Kissing in America
Margo Rabb
Kissing in America
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Margo Rabb
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.
About This Book
The soft hum of the car engine blends with the rustle of road maps as Eva and Annie speed across America. Every mile brings new smells, sounds, and the raw ache of missing someone who changed everything. Can a road trip heal a heart full of love and loss?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Kissing in America follows sixteen-year-old Eva as she navigates grief, friendship, and first love after the death of her father. The story explores themes of emotional healing and self-discovery through a cross-country road trip. Suitable for teens, it sensitively addresses loss and the complexity of teenage relationships without graphic content.
Why we rated Kissing in America 12IE
Kissing in America is written at a Level 7 reading level across 391 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Kissing in America works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Kissing in America as 12IE ("Intense — 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, Kissing in America explores friendship, coming of age, family, romance, and travel — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, coming of age, 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
12IE — Intense — 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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
Similar Books
Based on content and theme analysis
Kiss the morning star
Elissa Janine Hoole
Kiss the morning star
Elissa Janine Hoole
Who I kissed
Janet Gurtler
Who I kissed
Janet Gurtler
Kissing
Tamar Schreibman
Kissing
Tamar Schreibman
American road trip
Patrick Flores-Scott
American road trip
Patrick Flores-Scott
Catching kisses
Amy Gibson
Catching kisses
Amy Gibson
Kissing doorknobs
Terry Spencer Hesser
Kissing doorknobs
Terry Spencer Hesser
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780062322371
- Pages
- 391
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction