Like everybody else
Barbara Girion
Like everybody else
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Barbara Girion
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.
About This Book
This seventh-grader’s life flips upside down when her famous author mom writes a spicy adult novel that everyone starts talking about. Suddenly, school feels way more complicated, and secrets become harder to keep. What happens when your family’s stories aren’t just for kids anymore?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores the challenges a seventh-grader faces when her mother, a well-known children's author, publishes an adult novel with mature themes. It thoughtfully addresses family dynamics and the complexity of growing up in the spotlight. Suitable for ages 9-12, it sensitively handles the impact of adult issues on a young protagonist's life.
Why we rated Like everybody else 9ME
Like everybody else is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 169 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Like everybody else works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Like everybody else as 9ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. The strongest signals come from emotional weight — 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 mild intensity score.
Thematically, Like everybody else explores family, mothers and daughters, 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 family, mothers and daughters, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9ME — Moderate — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" 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
Similar Books
Based on content and theme analysis
Like Mother, Like Daughter
Marion Dane Bauer
Like Mother, Like Daughter
Marion Dane Bauer
Like Mother, Like Me
Sheila Schwartz
Like Mother, Like Me
Sheila Schwartz
Everybody's daughter, nobody's child
Jane Lapotaire
Everybody's daughter, nobody's child
Jane Lapotaire
Papa Like Everyone Else
Sydney Taylor
Papa Like Everyone Else
Sydney Taylor
Somebody Else's Daughter
Elizabeth Brundage
Somebody Else's Daughter
Elizabeth Brundage
Nobody Else Has to Know (Laurel-Leaf Books)
Ingrid Tomey
Nobody Else Has to Know (Laurel-Leaf Books)
Ingrid Tomey
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0440448727
- Pages
- 169
- Publisher
- Yearling
- Published
- 1982
- Type
- Fiction