Love Double Dutch
Doreen Spicer-Dannelly
Love Double Dutch
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Doreen Spicer-Dannelly
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
What if your biggest dream suddenly seemed out of reach? MaKayla is determined to lead her double Dutch team to the National Jump-off, but a summer in North Carolina with her distant cousin changes everything. Can she turn new challenges into a winning routine?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows MaKayla, a Brooklyn girl passionate about double Dutch, as she spends a summer in North Carolina navigating family changes and cultural clashes. The story explores themes of family, friendship, and resilience, suitable for ages 9-12. Parents should note the book touches on family separation and adjustment but presents it in an age-appropriate way.
Why we rated Love Double Dutch 11LE
Love Double Dutch is written at a Level 6 reading level across 256 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Love Double Dutch works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Love Double Dutch as 11LE ("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, Love Double Dutch explores family, friendship, sports, coming of age, and multicultural — 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 family, friendship, sports.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A 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
- 9781524700034
- Pages
- 256
- Publisher
- Yearling
- Published
- 2019
- Type
- Fiction