Seven ways we lie
Riley Redgate
Seven ways we lie
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Riley Redgate
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 fresh rain mixes with the nervous whispers echoing through the school halls. Seven students, each hiding a secret as tangled as the shadows around them, face choices that pull at their hearts and minds. What happens when every lie fights to be the truth?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This novel follows seven high school students, each narrating their story from a unique perspective, as they navigate personal challenges linked to the seven deadly sins. Suitable for middle-grade readers, the book explores themes of secrecy, identity, and moral choices in a school setting. Parents should note the book deals with complex emotional topics but handles them with sensitivity appropriate for ages 9-12.
Why we rated Seven ways we lie 12ME
Seven ways we lie is written at a Level 7 reading level across 343 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Seven ways we lie works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Seven ways we lie 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, Seven ways we lie explores secrecy, schools, coming of age, friendship, and identity & self-discovery — 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 secrecy, schools, coming of age.
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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781419719448
- Pages
- 343
- Publisher
- Harry N. Abrams
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction