Little & Lion

Brandy Colbert

Cover of Little & Lion

Little & Lion

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Brandy Colbert

Reading Level 5-6 Moderate (Lvl 3) Ages 13+ Matched

The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.

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About This Book

Returning home to Los Angeles, Suzette reconnects with her family, friends, and a new crush, all while supporting her stepbrother Lionel, who is navigating bipolar disorder. As emotions deepen and relationships become complicated, Suzette must face difficult choices to protect those she loves and understand herself better. This heartfelt story explores the challenges of mental health, identity, and the power of forgiveness.

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 5-6 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include mental health, emotional: loss & grief, emotional: identity & self-discovery. Written for readers ages 13+.

For Parents

Content Intensity

Level 3 — Moderate
Gentle Mild Moderate Intense Very Intense

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.

Content Flags

Mental Health Emotional: Loss & Grief Emotional: Identity & Self-Discovery Emotional: Fear & Anxiety
Data confidence: high

Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

1/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

4/10

Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
4
Emotional Weight
6
Theme Richness
9
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
8

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Details

Book Length

0
75,565 words
8h 24m read-aloud
ISBN
9780316349000
Publisher
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published
2017
Type
Fiction
Word Count
75,565
Lexile
820L
Read-Aloud
~8h 24m

Genres

Subjects

Young Adult FictionFamiliesBrothers and SistersBisexualityFamily LifeMental IllnessDatingManic-depressive IllnessCaliforniaLGBTQ Young AdultStonewall Book AwardsCollection:mike_morgan_larry_romans_childrens_young_adult_literature_award=winner