The half-true lies of Cricket Cohen
Catherine Lloyd Burns
The half-true lies of Cricket Cohen
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Catherine Lloyd Burns
The text is written at a 6th 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
What if telling a little fib could turn your whole world upside down? Imagine a middle schooler and her mischievous grandma running away from home, all because of a few half-true lies. Can they fix the mess before things get completely out of control?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows a young girl and her playful grandmother as a series of small fabrications snowball into a runaway adventure. It's a humorous and heartfelt story about family dynamics and the consequences of dishonesty, suitable for readers aged 9 to 12. The book deals lightly with themes of family relationships and youthful mischief without any intense content.
Why we rated The half-true lies of Cricket Cohen 11LE
The half-true lies of Cricket Cohen is written at a Level 6 reading level across 246 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The half-true lies of Cricket Cohen works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The half-true lies of Cricket Cohen as 11LE ("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 half-true lies of Cricket Cohen explores humor, family, adventure, and juvenile fiction — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about humor, family, adventure.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A 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
- 9780374300418
- Pages
- 246
- Publisher
- Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Byr)
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction