Of all the stupid things
Alexandra Diaz
Of all the stupid things
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Alexandra Diaz
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
Tara is one of the smartest athletes on her team, but when she starts liking someone her best friend can’t stand, everything changes. Friendships get tangled, secrets come out, and feelings get complicated — and not everyone knows how to handle it. Why does liking the right person feel like the hardest thing to do?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores complex friendships, family dynamics, and the challenges of discovering one’s identity through the eyes of three diverse high school girls. It addresses themes of LGBTQ+ attraction and the impact of social tensions in school settings, suitable for readers aged 9-12. Parents should note the honest portrayal of interpersonal conflicts and emotional growth.
Why we rated Of all the stupid things 11ME
Of all the stupid things is written at a Level 6 reading level across 258 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Of all the stupid things works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Of all the stupid things as 11ME ("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, Of all the stupid things explores friendship, family, high school life, lgbtq+ representation, and interpersonal relationships — 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 friendship, family, high school life.
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
11ME — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781606840344
- Pages
- 258
- Publisher
- Egmont USA
- Published
- 2010
- Type
- Fiction