Little & Lion
Brandy Colbert
Little & Lion
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Brandy Colbert
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.
Themes
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+.
Why we rated Little & Lion 10ME
Little & Lion is written at a Level 5-6 reading level with a Lexile measure of 820L (approximately 75,565 words). Strong independent readers around grade 6.3 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Little & Lion works for readers up to grade 7.3.
Read aloud, Little & Lion runs about 8.4 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Little & Lion as 10ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mental Health, Emotional: Loss & Grief, Emotional: Identity & Self-Discovery, Emotional: Fear & Anxiety.
Thematically, Little & Lion explores family, lgbtq+ representation, mental health, coming of age, and romance — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
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 family, lgbtq+ representation, mental health.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
10ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780316349000
- Publisher
- Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 75,565
- Lexile
- 820L
- Read-Aloud
- ~8h 24m