What reading level is Love in the time of global warming?

Love in the time of global warming by Francesca Lia Block is at a Level 5-6 reading level (Lexile 850L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Love in the time of global warming appropriate for?

Love in the time of global warming is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 10IE (Intense — Emotional). Content flags: Disaster, Loss.

What genre is Love in the time of global warming?

Love in the time of global warming is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does Love in the time of global warming have any content warnings?

Love in the time of global warming has a HootRating of 10IE (Intense — Emotional). Content flags include: Disaster, Loss. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Love in the time of global warming?

Love in the time of global warming by Francesca Lia Block is 230 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Love in the time of global warming

Francesca Lia Block

Love in the time of global warming

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Francesca Lia Block

Reading Level 5-6 10IE Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 5th 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

Penelope clings to the ruins, dust swirling around her as the earth trembles beneath her feet. Everything she knew has vanished—her home, her family, her world turned upside down. But with hope flickering in her heart, she steps forward into the unknown, where love might be her only guide.

Themes

LoveSurvival Science & Nature Adventure

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade novel follows seventeen-year-old Penelope as she faces the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake that upends her life and the West Coast. The story explores themes of survival, loss, and hope in a science fiction setting appropriate for readers aged 9-12. Parents should note the depiction of disaster and emotional challenges, handled with sensitivity suitable for this age group.

Why we rated Love in the time of global warming 10IE

Love in the time of global warming is written at a Level 5-6 reading level with a Lexile measure of 850L across 230 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 6.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Love in the time of global warming works for readers up to grade 7.5.

We rate Love in the time of global warming as 10IE ("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, physical peril, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Disaster, Loss.

Thematically, Love in the time of global warming explores love, survival, science & nature, and adventure — 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 love, survival, science & nature.

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.