The friendship experiment
Brandi Dougherty
The friendship experiment
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Brandi Dougherty
The text is written at a 4th 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 buzz of lockers slamming and chatter fills the hallway as Morgan steps into seventh grade with a secret plan. Each day, she reaches out to a new group, feeling the nervous flutter in her stomach as she wonders who will become her true friend. It’s a journey of laughter, surprises, and sometimes hurt feelings—but Morgan’s ready to discover where she truly belongs.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Morgan as she navigates the challenges of making new friends after a falling-out with her best pals. It thoughtfully explores themes of friendship, social dynamics, and self-discovery in a school setting, making it suitable for ages 9-12. Parents can expect relatable situations about navigating peer relationships without intense conflict or mature content.
Why we rated The friendship experiment 9LE
The friendship experiment is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 147 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The friendship experiment works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The friendship experiment as 9LE ("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 friendship experiment explores friendship, school, coming of age, and social dynamics — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, school, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780545079297
- Pages
- 147
- Publisher
- Scholastic
- Published
- 2009
- Type
- Fiction