Lies we tell ourselves
Robin Talley
Lies we tell ourselves
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Robin Talley
The text is written at a 7th 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
Sarah is one of the first Black students to attend a brand-new school where everyone is supposed to be treated equally. But when she teams up with Linda, whose family disagrees with integration, sparks fly and secrets come out. What happens when two very different girls face the truth together?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in 1959 Virginia, this middle-grade novel explores the challenges of school integration through the eyes of Sarah, a Black student, and Linda, the daughter of an integration opponent. It thoughtfully addresses themes of race relations and social change appropriate for ages 9–12, with some historical context that may prompt important conversations about prejudice and courage.
Why we rated Lies we tell ourselves 12ME
Lies we tell ourselves is written at a Level 7 reading level across 368 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Lies we tell ourselves works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Lies we tell ourselves as 12ME ("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.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Lies we tell ourselves explores race relations, school integration, friendship, and coming of age — 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 race relations, school integration, 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
12ME — 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
- 9780373211333
- Pages
- 368
- Publisher
- Harlequin
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction