What reading level is Tender?

Tender by Valerie Hobbs is at a Level 6 reading level. Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is Tender appropriate for?

Tender is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 11IE (Intense — Emotional). Content flags: Pet Death, Child Death, Self-Harm.

What genre is Tender?

Tender is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does Tender have any content warnings?

Tender has a HootRating of 11IE (Intense — Emotional). Content flags include: Pet Death, Child Death, Self-Harm. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is Tender?

Tender by Valerie Hobbs is 245 pages.

Tender

Valerie Hobbs

Tender

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Valerie Hobbs

Reading Level 6 11IE Ages 9-12 Matched

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

Liv is the bravest daughter you'll ever meet—she leaves her big city life behind and dives into the deep, mysterious waters of California to live with a dad she's never known. Facing the wild ocean and a new family, Liv learns that healing isn’t easy, but it can be powerful. Her journey shows how courage can turn even the hardest losses into a new kind of strength.

Themes

Family Coming of Age AdventureEmotional Healing

Quick Assessment

Tender follows fifteen-year-old Liv as she copes with the loss of her grandmother and moves from New York City to California to live with her estranged father, an abalone diver. This middle-grade novel explores themes of grief, family adjustment, and emotional healing, with sensitive content including the death of a pet and a child, and self-harm. Suitable for readers ages 9-12, parental guidance is recommended due to these mature topics.