Making Allowances
Paul Lermitte
Making Allowances
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Dollars-and-sense Guide to Teaching Kids about Money
by Paul Lermitte
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 gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
The clink of coins and the crisp feel of dollar bills fill the air as you step into the world of money management. Imagine learning how to save, spend, and grow your own allowance like a pro, all while discovering the secrets of banks, cards, and budgets. It’s not just about cash—it’s about gaining the power to make smart choices for your future.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction book offers a clear, step-by-step guide for children aged 9-12 to understand basic financial concepts such as budgeting, banking, and saving. It is designed to support child development by teaching practical money management skills within a family context. The content is appropriate for this age group, with a positive focus on financial literacy and responsibility.
Why we rated Making Allowances 11LT
Making Allowances 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, Making Allowances works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Making Allowances as 11LT ("Light — Thematic") because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.
Thematically, Making Allowances explores money & finance, teaching of a specific subject, child development and rearing, family & relationships, and family / parenting / childbirth — 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 money & finance, teaching of a specific subject, child development and rearing.
- ✓ Curious kids who prefer real-world topics over made-up stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LT — Light — ThematicNo conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.
Was our "Gentle" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780071398282
- Pages
- 256
- Publisher
- McGraw-Hill Companies
- Published
- July 15, 2002
- Type
- Nonfiction