Notorious
Cecily von Ziegesar
Notorious
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Cecily von Ziegesar
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
Jenny Humphrey is ready to take over the most popular spot at Waverly Academy, but the school's queen bee, Tinsley Carmichael, isn't going down without a fight. Glamour, friendship, and rivalry collide in a place where being the It Girl means everything—and only one girl can wear that crown. Who will rule the halls of Waverly?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Notorious follows Jenny Humphrey as she navigates the social challenges of an elite boarding school filled with wealthy, glamorous students. The story explores themes of friendship, popularity, and rivalry in a middle-grade-appropriate way, with some mild social conflicts but no intense content. Suitable for readers aged 9-12 interested in contemporary fiction about friendship and social dynamics.
Why we rated Notorious 11LE
Notorious is written at a Level 6 reading level across 282 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Notorious works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Notorious as 11LE ("Light — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, Notorious explores boarding schools, friendship, coming of age, family, and multicultural — 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 boarding schools, friendship, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — 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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780755339754
- Pages
- 282
- Publisher
- Headline
- Published
- 2008
- Type
- Fiction