No place

Name: No place
Author: Todd Strasser
ISBN: 9781442457225

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Todd Strasser

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

Dan’s heart pounds as he dodges shouting voices and sharp elbows in Tent City. The winds howl, tents flap wildly, and danger lurks closer than he thinks. Suddenly, someone steps out of the shadows—who could it be, and what do they want?

Themes

HomelessnessPovertyJuvenile FictionFamily SurvivalMental Health

Quick Assessment

No Place tells the story of Dan, a young boy who becomes homeless and moves to a challenging tent community. As he fights for better living conditions, he faces threats including stalking, injury, and anxiety, making this a realistic and sometimes intense portrayal of poverty and resilience for middle-grade readers. Parents should be aware of themes including loss, physical danger, mental health struggles, and sensitive situations like kidnapping and medical scenes.

Why we rated No place 9IE

No place is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 730L across 262 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, No place works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate No place 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, physical peril, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Gaslighting, Stalking, Physical Injury, Parental Death, Kidnapping, Possession, Needles/Syringes, Hospital Scene, Body Dysmorphia, Anxiety Attack.

Thematically, No place explores homelessness, poverty, juvenile fiction, family, and survival — 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 homelessness, poverty, juvenile fiction.

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.
! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.