No Big Deal
Bethany Rutter
No Big Deal
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Bethany Rutter
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.
About This Book
Emily is confident, funny, and knows exactly who she is — a stylish seventeen-year-old who refuses to let anyone tell her she should change. When she meets Joe, her perfect crush, everything seems to fall into place, but soon Emily realizes that staying true to herself is the biggest challenge of all. This story shows why loving yourself matters, no matter what anyone else says.
Themes
Quick Assessment
No Big Deal is a young adult novel about a confident teenage girl, Emily, who embraces her body despite societal pressures to change. It addresses themes of self-esteem, body positivity, and the challenges of adolescence, making it suitable for readers aged 13 to 18. Parents should know the book explores issues like diet culture and relationship dynamics with sensitivity and humor.
Why we rated No Big Deal 12ME
No Big Deal is written at a Level 7 reading level across 320 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, No Big Deal works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate No Big Deal as 12ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. The strongest signals come from emotional weight — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, No Big Deal explores self-esteem & self-reliance, friendship, coming of age, social topics, and body positivity — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about self-esteem & self-reliance, friendship, coming of age.
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
12ME — Moderate — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
Similar Books
Based on content and theme analysis
No big deal
Ellen Jaffe-Gill
No big deal
Ellen Jaffe-Gill
Big
Vashti Harrison
Big
Vashti Harrison
No Matter What
Debi Gliori
No Matter What
Debi Gliori
Extraordinary
Bethany Boster
Extraordinary
Bethany Boster
Kind of a Big Deal
Shannon Hale
Kind of a Big Deal
Shannon Hale
My Big Fat Teen Crisis
Jenny Smith
My Big Fat Teen Crisis
Jenny Smith
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781509870059
- Pages
- 320
- Publisher
- Macmillan Children's Books
- Published
- Aug 08, 2019
- Type
- Fiction