Looking for group
Rory Harrison
Looking for group
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Rory Harrison
The text is written at a 7th 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
I’m going to tell you a secret about Dylan — he’s survived cancer, but that’s only the beginning. Life in the Village Estates isn’t easy, and his only real friend is someone he’s never met in person. When Dylan and Arden set off on a journey to a mysterious ship, everything they thought they knew about friendship and courage gets tested.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Looking for Group is a middle-grade novel exploring themes of illness, addiction, gender identity, and friendship. It follows Dylan, a boy recently in remission from cancer, and his friend Arden, who faces challenges with family acceptance. Suitable for readers ages 9-12, this story handles sensitive topics with emotional depth and includes some mature themes like drug addiction and complex family dynamics.
Why we rated Looking for group 12IE
Looking for group is written at a Level 7 reading level across 356 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Looking for group works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Looking for group as 12IE ("Intense — 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, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Cancer, Drug Addiction, Gender Identity Challenges, Family Conflict.
Thematically, Looking for group explores illness & recovery, addiction, friendship, gender identity, and family — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about illness & recovery, addiction, friendship.
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
12IE — Intense — 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
- 9780062453075
- Pages
- 356
- Publisher
- HarperTeen
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction