Save the Date
Laura Dower
Save the Date
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Laura Dower
The text is written at a 4th 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
What happens when the biggest battle at Far Hills Junior High is a boys-versus-girls competition? Madison is juggling forgotten permission slips, confusing crushes, and a team full of rivals. Can she and her enemies find a way to win before the final showdown?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in a middle school during a spirited boys-versus-girls science field trip competition, this story explores themes of friendship, family changes, and navigating early crushes. Appropriate for ages 9-12, it deals lightly with family dynamics like parental dating and the typical challenges of school life. The story encourages teamwork and understanding despite rivalry.
Why we rated Save the Date 9LE
Save the Date is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 195 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Save the Date works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate Save the Date as 9LE ("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, Save the Date explores friendship, family, coming of age, school life, and competition — 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, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781480422919
- Pages
- 195
- Publisher
- Open Road Media
- Published
- 2013
- Type
- Fiction