Shutter
Laurie Faria Stolarz
Shutter
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Laurie Faria Stolarz
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes.
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About This Book
THE FACTS • Julian Roman, age sixteen, is an escapee from the Fairmount County Juvenile Detention Facility. • His parents, Michael Roman and Jennifer Roman, are dead. • Julian is wanted for murder. THE QUESTIONS • Why is Julian Roman on the run? • Just how dangerous is he? • And who did kill Michael and Jennifer Roman, if not Julian? Sixteen-year-old Day Connor views life through the lens of her camera, where perspective is everything. But photographs never tell the whole story. After Day crosses paths with Julian, the world she pictures and the truths she believes-neatly captured in black and white-begin to blur. Julian is not the "armed and dangerous" escapee the police are searching for, but his alibis don't quite add up, either. There is more to his story. This time, Day is determined to see the entire picture . . . whatever it reveals. Did he? Or didn't he? Day digs deeper into the case while Julian remains on the run. But the longer her list of facts becomes, the longer the list of questions becomes, too. It's also getting harder to deny the chemistry she feels for him. Is it real? Or is she being manipulated? Day is close to finding the crack in the case. She just needs time to focus before the shutter snaps shut. Laurie Faria Stolarz is a master of suspense and romance. Shutter will keep readers guessing until the very end.
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 7 book. No notable content concerns flagged. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated Shutter Level 0
Shutter is written at a Level 7 reading level across 337 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Shutter works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Shutter as Unrated because the content sits in the "Unrated" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the unrated intensity score.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
Level 0 — UnratedThis book has not yet been rated for content intensity.
Was our "Unrated" 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
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781484727904
- Pages
- 337
- Publisher
- Disney-Hyperion
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction