Price of duty
Todd Strasser
Price of duty
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Todd Strasser
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
What does it really mean to be a hero? Jake Liddell is back home from war, but the battle isn't over yet. With tough choices pulling him every way, can he find his own way forward?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This novel by Todd Strasser follows Jake Liddell, a young soldier dealing with the challenges of returning home after war, including injury and emotional struggles. Appropriate for ages 9-12, it sensitively explores themes of duty, family expectations, and post-traumatic stress, providing a thoughtful perspective on what it means to be a hero.
Why we rated Price of duty 9ME
Price of duty is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 192 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Price of duty works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Price of duty 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, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Post-traumatic stress disorder, Military injury.
Thematically, Price of duty explores duty, family, post-traumatic stress disorder, heroes, and fiction — 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 duty, family, post-traumatic stress disorder.
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.
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
- 9781481497091
- Pages
- 192
- Publisher
- Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction