What reading level is The detention club?

The detention club by David Yoo is at a Level 5-6 reading level (Lexile 880L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is The detention club appropriate for?

The detention club is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 10LE (Light — Emotional).

What genre is The detention club?

The detention club is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does The detention club have any content warnings?

The detention club has a HootRating of 10LE (Light — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is The detention club?

The detention club by David Yoo is 299 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated September 7, 2026

The detention club

David Yoo

The detention club

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by David Yoo

Reading Level 5-6 10LE 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.

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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 10LE

The detention club is written at a Level 5-6 reading level with a Lexile measure of 880L across 299 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 6.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The detention club works for readers up to grade 7.5.

We rate The detention club as 10LE ("Light — 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.
✓ 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 multicultural, family, friendship.