Not otherwise specified
Hannah Moskowitz
Not otherwise specified
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Hannah Moskowitz
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Etta refuses to be boxed in by labels, even when everyone around her insists on sorting people into neat categories. She’s navigating the bright lights of performing arts and the tricky world of friendships, all while discovering who she really is. But breaking free from expectations isn’t easy—and what Etta learns could change everything.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Etta, a young girl in a small Nebraska town who struggles with the pressures of fitting into social labels, including those related to identity and mental health. The story thoughtfully explores themes of bisexuality, eating disorders, and the challenges of adolescence through the lens of performing arts and interpersonal relationships. Suitable for readers ages 9-12, the book handles sensitive topics with care and encourages open conversations about identity and self-acceptance.
Why we rated Not otherwise specified 11IE
Not otherwise specified is written at a Level 6 reading level across 260 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Not otherwise specified works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Not otherwise specified as 11IE ("Intense — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. 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: Eating Disorders.
Thematically, Not otherwise specified explores performing arts, interpersonal relations in adolescence, eating disorders in adolescence, bisexuality, and coming of age — 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 performing arts, interpersonal relations in adolescence, eating disorders in adolescence.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11IE — Intense — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781481405959
- Pages
- 260
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction