The detention club

Name: The detention club
Author: David Yoo
ISBN: 9780061783784

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by David Yoo

Reading Level 5-6 LE · Mild · Emotional Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.

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About This Book

The sharp clang of the detention bell echoes through the empty halls, sticky with the scent of old cafeteria pizza and pencil shavings. Peter Lee never thought a punishment could change everything—until detention turns from a lonely sentence into a surprising place where new friendships start to grow. Sometimes, the worst days hold the best secrets.

Themes

Multicultural Family FriendshipMiddle schoolsComing of Age

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade novel follows Peter Lee, a Korean American boy navigating the tricky social waters of middle school after being labeled a 'loser.' When detention threatens to ruin his reputation, Peter discovers unexpected friendships and personal growth. Suitable for ages 9-12, it thoughtfully explores themes of identity, sibling relationships, and the challenges of school life without heavy content.

Why we rated The detention club LE (Mild)

The detention club is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 299 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 7 and up can manage The detention club on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate The detention club as LE (Mild, mostly emotional) because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.

Thematically, The detention club explores multicultural, family, friendship, middle schools, and coming of age — 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.
✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about multicultural, family, friendship.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

LE · Mild · Emotional

Emotional

Mild ←

Physical

Gentle

Social

Mild

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: high

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?