Select
Marit Weisenberg
Select
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
book one
by Marit Weisenberg
The text is written at a 7th 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 freshly polished floors fills the quiet halls of an elite school where Julia tries to hide. Her secret powers buzz beneath the surface, making every whispered thought and stolen glance feel like a storm waiting to break. When she meets John, whose mind she can hear like a secret song, Julia faces a choice that could change everything she thought she knew about family and trust.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Select is a middle-grade novel that offers a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet with a supernatural twist. It explores themes of family secrets, identity, and forbidden love, set against the backdrop of a wealthy elite society. Suitable for ages 9-12, it includes mild fantasy violence and emotional challenges related to family dynamics and self-discovery.
Why we rated Select 12ME
Select is written at a Level 7 reading level across 344 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Select works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Select as 12ME ("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.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Select explores family, secrets, juvenile fiction, secrecy, and family life — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about family, secrets, juvenile fiction.
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
12ME — 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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781580898065
- Pages
- 344
- Publisher
- Charlesbridge Publishing
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction