Lily and Taylor

Name: Lily and Taylor
Author: Elise Moser
ISBN: 9781554983346

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Elise Moser

Reading Level 4-5 IE · Intense · Emotional Ages 9-12 Heads Up

YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults

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 intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes. Its HootRating code, IE, means intense content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

The sharp, cold air bites as the cabin’s door slams shut behind them, cutting off any hope of escape. Inside, whispers of fear mix with the scent of pine and the weight of silence, as two girls face a danger that feels too big to fight. How do you hold on when everything you know is slipping away?

Themes

Family Friendship Survival Coming of AgeJuvenile Fiction

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade novel explores heavy themes such as domestic abuse, kidnapping, and trauma through the story of two girls forming a fragile friendship amid danger. It candidly portrays the emotional struggles of teenagers dealing with family violence and abusive relationships, making it suitable for mature readers aged 9-12 who can handle intense subject matter. Parents should be aware of the book's frank depiction of abuse and its psychological impact.

Why we rated Lily and Taylor IE (Intense)

Lily and Taylor is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 188 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 6 and up can manage Lily and Taylor on their own.

We rate Lily and Taylor as IE (Intense, mostly emotional) because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Domestic Abuse, Kidnapping, Emotional Trauma.

Thematically, Lily and Taylor explores family, friendship, survival, coming of age, and juvenile fiction — 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.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, friendship, survival.
✓ Readers (and parents) who care about award-recognized writing — Lily and Taylor carries an award.

Maybe not for

! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
! Children younger than 9 — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.

For Parents

Content Intensity

IE · Intense · Emotional

Emotional

Intense ←

Physical

Moderate

Social

Moderate

Thematic

Moderate

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Heavy themes explored in depth. War, death, abuse addressed directly.