Lonely, Sad and Angry
Barbara D. Ingersoll
Lonely, Sad and Angry
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Parent's Guide to Depression in Children and Adolescents
by Barbara D. Ingersoll
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Have you ever felt lonely, sad, or angry and wondered why? Imagine a story that helps you understand those big feelings and what they mean. What if learning about these emotions could change everything—but how do you start?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This book serves as a compassionate guide for parents to understand depression in children and adolescents. It provides insights into developmental psychology and offers practical advice for supporting young ones through emotional challenges. Suitable for parents of children aged 9 to 12, it addresses sensitive topics with care and clarity.
Why we rated Lonely, Sad and Angry 11ME
Lonely, Sad and Angry is written at a Level 6 reading level across 225 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Lonely, Sad and Angry works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Lonely, Sad and Angry as 11ME ("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: Emotional: Depression & Mental Health, Emotional: Loneliness, Emotional: Sadness & Anger.
Thematically, Lonely, Sad and Angry explores child & developmental psychology, family, special education, and emotional health — 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.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about child & developmental psychology, family, special education.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781886941458
- Pages
- 225
- Publisher
- Specialty Press (FL)
- Published
- April 2001
- Type
- Nonfiction