Stephanie
Jack Weyland
Stephanie
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Jack Weyland
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
What happens when someone you care about can’t stop drinking and taking pills? Sixteen-year-old Stephanie struggles to hide her secret addiction, but the harder she tries, the more she feels trapped. Can she find the courage to face her problems before it’s too late?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Stephanie is a middle-grade novel that deals with the serious issues of alcoholism and drug abuse through the story of a sixteen-year-old girl who ultimately seeks treatment in a hospital program. The book explores themes of addiction and recovery in an age-appropriate way for readers ages 9-12, with a focus on personal struggle and hope. Parents should be aware of the mature topics but will find the book handled sensitively without graphic details.
Why we rated Stephanie 11ME
Stephanie is written at a Level 6 reading level across 209 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Stephanie works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Stephanie as 11ME ("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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Substance Use.
Thematically, Stephanie explores addiction, family, coming of age, and recovery — 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 addiction, family, 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
11ME — Moderate — 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
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0875792030
- Pages
- 209
- Publisher
- Shadow Mountain
- Published
- 1989
- Type
- Fiction