What reading level is Monday's Not Coming?

Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson is at a Level 4-5 reading level (Lexile 620L). Recommended for Upper Grades readers (Ages 13+).

What genre is Monday's Not Coming?

Monday's Not Coming is fiction — Young Adult Fiction.

How many pages is Monday's Not Coming?

Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson is 435 pages (approximately 83,524 words).

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

Monday's Not Coming

Tiffany D. Jackson

Monday's Not Coming

Q: What age is Monday's Not Coming appropriate for?

Monday's Not Coming is recommended for Ages 13+. HootRating: 9IP (Intense — Physical). Content flags: Abandonment, Child Abuse, Abusive Parents, Gaslighting, Substance Use, Alcohol Abuse, Sexual Assault, Physical Violence.

Q: Does Monday's Not Coming have any content warnings?

Monday's Not Coming has a HootRating of 9IP (Intense — Physical). Content flags include: Abandonment, Child Abuse, Abusive Parents, Gaslighting, Substance Use, Alcohol Abuse, Sexual Assault, Physical Violence. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Tiffany D. Jackson

Reading Level 4-5 9IP Ages 13+ Heads Up

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.

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About This Book

When Monday Charles disappears without a trace, her best friend Claudia refuses to accept the silence surrounding her absence. Determined to uncover the truth, Claudia navigates secrets, lies, and painful realities that reveal how deeply Monday’s disappearance affects everyone around her. This powerful story explores friendship, mystery, and the hidden struggles behind a missing girl’s story.

Challenged Book

About & Banning Context

In this compelling novel by Tiffany D. Jackson, the story revolves around the mysterious disappearance of a teenage girl named Monday Charles. Her close friend, Claudia, is deeply affected by Monday's absence, as they have always shared a strong bond akin to sisterhood. When Monday fails to appear for school, Claudia grows increasingly anxious, realizing that something is seriously wrong. As days turn into weeks without any sign of Monday, Claudia becomes determined to uncover the truth. However, she faces obstacles, including unhelpful responses from Monday's family and a community that seems indifferent to her friend's plight. Claudia's search reveals unsettling truths about friendship, loyalty, and the often-overlooked struggles of those around us.

Key Themes

friendship disappearance community indifference loyalty trauma

Awards & Accolades (20)

● Coretta Scott King John Steptoe New Talent Author Award
● We Need Diverse Books Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature
● YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults
● YALSA Quick Picks
● YALSA Outstanding Books for the College Bound o Arts and Literature o History and Cultures
● Bulletin for the Center of Children’s Books Blue Ribbon
● School Library Journal Best Books
● Booklist Top 10 Crime Fiction for Youth
+ 12 more

Reviewed By

★ School Library Journal ★ Publishers Weekly Kirkus Reviews ★ The Horn Book ★ Booklist

Source: Unite Against Book Bans — Monday's Not Coming

Themes

Friendship Mystery Coming of Age Social JusticeHigh SchoolFamily

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 4-5 book with intense content intensity. Content themes include abandonment, child abuse, abusive parents. Written for readers ages 13+.

Why we rated Monday's Not Coming 9IP

Monday's Not Coming is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 620L across 435 pages (approximately 83,524 words). Strong independent readers around grade 5.3 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Monday's Not Coming works for readers up to grade 6.3.

Read aloud, Monday's Not Coming runs about 9.3 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate Monday's Not Coming as 9IP ("Intense — Physical") because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. The strongest signals come from physical peril, social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Abandonment, Child Abuse, Abusive Parents, Gaslighting, Substance Use, Alcohol Abuse, Sexual Assault, Physical Violence.

Thematically, Monday's Not Coming explores friendship, mystery, coming of age, social justice, and high school — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, mystery, coming of age.

Maybe not for

! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
! Children younger than 13+ — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.