What reading level is Miles away from you?

Miles away from you by A. B. Rutledge is at a Level 4-5 reading level (Lexile 720L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Miles away from you appropriate for?

Miles away from you is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9IE (Intense — Emotional). Content flags: Suicide.

What genre is Miles away from you?

Miles away from you is fiction.

Does Miles away from you have any content warnings?

Miles away from you has a HootRating of 9IE (Intense — Emotional). Content flags include: Suicide. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Miles away from you?

Miles away from you by A. B. Rutledge is 268 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

Miles away from you

A. B. Rutledge

Miles away from you

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by A. B. Rutledge

Reading Level 4-5 9IE Ages 9-12 Heads Up

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.

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About This Book

Miles stands frozen in his hotel room, suitcase untouched, the Icelandic wind howling outside. His heart aches for Vivian, who’s been silent in a coma for so long. When a stranger named Oskar appears, will Miles find the courage to step outside and face the journey ahead?

Themes

LGBTQ+ Representation Friendship Coming of Age FamilyLoveMental Health

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade novel thoughtfully explores themes of love, loss, gender identity, and healing through the story of Miles, a boy coping with his transgender friend Vivian’s tragic suicide attempt. Appropriate for ages 9-12, it handles sensitive topics like suicide and LGBTQ+ identity with care and authenticity, using a unique storytelling style featuring instant messages. Parents should be aware of the emotional depth and mature themes presented.

Why we rated Miles away from you 9IE

Miles away from you is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 720L across 268 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Miles away from you works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Miles away from you as 9IE ("Intense — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. 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: Suicide.

Thematically, Miles away from you explores lgbtq+ representation, friendship, coming of age, family, and love — 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 lgbtq+ representation, friendship, coming of age.

Maybe not for

! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
! Children younger than 9-12 — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.