Run the risk
Allison Van Diepen
Run the risk
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Allison Van Diepen
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
The sharp scent of burning rubber fills the air as Grace watches the city streets pulse with danger and secrets. Her heart races—not just because of the gangs that lurk in the shadows, but because her little brother Alex is slipping into the same risky world she tried to escape. Can she protect him before everything she loves shatters?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Run the Risk is a middle-grade novel that explores themes of family loyalty, gang involvement, and young love within a Latin American community. Suitable for ages 9-12, it realistically portrays the struggles of a girl trying to save her brother from the dangers of gang life while confronting her own feelings about a complicated past relationship. The story includes some mature themes like gang activity and emotional conflict but is handled with sensitivity.
Why we rated Run the risk 11IE
Run the risk is written at a Level 6 reading level across 277 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Run the risk works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Run the risk as 11IE ("Intense — 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, social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Gang Activity, Emotional Conflict.
Thematically, Run the risk explores family, romance, gangs, latin americans, and brothers and sisters — 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 family, romance, gangs.
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
11IE — Intense — 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
- 9780062433350
- Pages
- 277
- Publisher
- HarperTeen
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction