Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
The Here and Now
Ann Brashares
The Here and Now
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Ann Brashares
The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
What if you came from the future to save the world but had to follow impossible rules? Prenna has left behind a ruined future and now lives in the present, where she’s not allowed to fall in love or change history. But when she meets Ethan, everything she believes in is put to the test.
Quick Assessment
This young adult novel follows Prenna, a teenager from a dystopian future who has relocated to the present to help prevent a devastating pandemic. The story explores themes of love, sacrifice, and the consequences of altering history. Suitable for teens 13 and older, it contains thoughtful reflections on responsibility and emotional challenges without graphic content.
Why we rated The Here and Now 8LE
The Here and Now is written at a Level 3-4 reading level with a Lexile measure of 670L across 242 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 4.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Here and Now works for readers up to grade 5.5.
We rate The Here and Now as 8LE ("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 Here and Now explores coming of age, romance, science & nature, family, and adventure — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about coming of age, romance, science & nature.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
8LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780385736800
- Pages
- 242
- Publisher
- Delacorte Press
- Published
- April 8th 2014
- Type
- Fiction
- Lexile
- 670L