Little lies
Chrissie Perry
Little lies
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Chrissie Perry
Illustrated by Fukuoka, Aki, 1982- illustrator
The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
Sometimes, even the best friends tell little lies — and those tiny fibs can turn into big problems. Bonnie and Casey’s trust starts to wobble when their white lies come out. Can they fix their friendship before it breaks?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This early reader story explores themes of trust, friendship, and honesty through the experiences of two best friends who each tell small lies. Suitable for ages 5-8, it gently addresses the consequences of dishonesty in a relatable way for young children. The language and situations are appropriate for early readers without any intense content.
Why we rated Little lies 8LE
Little lies is written at a Level 3 reading level across 90 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 4.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Little lies works for readers up to grade 5.0.
We rate Little lies as 8LE ("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.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, Little lies explores friendship, trust, truthfulness and falsehood, girls, and juvenile fiction — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, trust, truthfulness and falsehood.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
8LE — Light — 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
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781742978154
- Pages
- 90
- Publisher
- Hardie Grant Books
- Published
- 2014
- Type
- Fiction