Ladies' man
Richard Price
Ladies' man
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Richard Price
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
Kenny is a young guy with big dreams and even bigger questions about love and life in the buzzing city of New York. He’s ready to explore and figure out what really matters, but the city’s tricky singles scene might have more surprises than he expected. Can Kenny find something real when everything feels like a game?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This book follows Kenny Becker, a young and unemployed man navigating the singles scene in 1978 New York City. It deals with themes of self-discovery, relationships, and the challenges of young adulthood. The story contains mature themes, including casual relationships and some strong language, making it more suitable for older middle-grade readers or young teens.
Why we rated Ladies' man 11ME
Ladies' man is written at a Level 6 reading level across 264 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Ladies' man works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Ladies' man 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: Mature Themes, Strong Language.
Thematically, Ladies' man explores coming of age, family, friendship, and urban life — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about coming of age, family, friendship.
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.
Content Flags
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
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0395270820
- Pages
- 264
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin
- Published
- 1978
- Type
- Fiction