Little black lies
Tish Cohen
Little black lies
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Tish Cohen
The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
Sixteen-year-old Sara begins her junior year at a prestigious Boston school, eager to fit in with the popular students. To protect her carefully crafted image, she keeps her father's job as the school janitor and his struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder a secret. As Sara navigates friendships and social pressures, she must decide what truly matters to her.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 5 book with mild content intensity. Content themes include family change, mental health. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated Little black lies 10LE
Little black lies is written at a Level 5 reading level (approximately 77,207 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Little black lies works for readers up to grade 7.0.
Read aloud, Little black lies runs about 8.6 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Little black lies as 10LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Family Change, Mental Health.
Thematically, Little black lies explores friendship, coming of age, family, social justice, and school life — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
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
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
10LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Content Flags
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
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781606840337
- Publisher
- Egmont USA
- Published
- 2009
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 77,207
- Read-Aloud
- ~8h 35m