Not what I expected
Laurie B. Friedman
Not what I expected
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Laurie B. Friedman
The text is written at a 4th 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
April thought high school would be a mess, but it starts off surprisingly well with dance team and a new friendship. Then everything begins to fall apart—friends turn away, family fights, and a party changes everything. Can April find a way to fix her world when it seems like it's breaking?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores the ups and downs of early adolescence through April's experiences with family conflict, friendship challenges, and social dynamics at school. Suitable for ages 9-12, it sensitively addresses themes of family change, social customs like dating, and personal resilience. The story contains realistic portrayals of family arguments and social tensions but remains appropriate for its target audience.
Why we rated Not what I expected 9ME
Not what I expected is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 170 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Not what I expected works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Not what I expected as 9ME ("Moderate — 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 — 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 moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Not what I expected explores family, friendship, coming of age, social customs, and diary/personal reflection — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, friendship, coming of age.
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
9ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781467785884
- Pages
- 170
- Publisher
- Darby Creek TM
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction