Pumpkin spice secrets
Hillary Homzie
Pumpkin spice secrets
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
A Swirl Novel
by Hillary Homzie
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
Maddie just made the most embarrassing mess—spilling her pumpkin spice frappe all over the cutest boy in school! But when she finds out her best friend Jana has a crush on the same boy, Maddie must decide if keeping her secret is worth risking their friendship. What will happen when feelings and loyalty collide in the halls of middle school?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores themes of friendship, crushes, and the challenges of navigating middle school social life. Maddie faces the dilemma of choosing between honesty and loyalty when she develops a crush on the same boy as her best friend. Appropriate for ages 9-12, the story handles typical pre-teen emotions and school situations with sensitivity and humor.
Why we rated Pumpkin spice secrets 11LE
Pumpkin spice secrets is written at a Level 6 reading level across 243 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Pumpkin spice secrets works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Pumpkin spice secrets 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, Pumpkin spice secrets explores friendship, middle school, infatuation, secrecy, and best friends — 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, middle school, infatuation.
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
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781510730076
- Pages
- 243
- Publisher
- Sky Pony
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction