The lies about truth
Courtney C. Stevens
The lies about truth
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Courtney C. Stevens
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
What if a single moment changed everything you thought you knew about yourself? Sadie survived a terrible accident, but the scars she carries are more than skin deep. Can she find the courage to forgive, heal, and maybe even love again?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Sadie, a girl grappling with the aftermath of a tragic accident that left her physically and emotionally scarred. The story sensitively explores themes of loss, healing, forgiveness, and young love, making it suitable for ages 9-12. Parents should be aware that the book deals with emotional trauma and recovery but does so with hope and positive messages.
Why we rated The lies about truth 12IE
The lies about truth is written at a Level 7 reading level across 326 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The lies about truth works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate The lies about truth as 12IE ("Intense — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, The lies about truth explores friendship, forgiveness, emotional problems, coming of age, and family — 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 friendship, forgiveness, emotional problems.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12IE — Intense — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780062245410
- Pages
- 326
- Publisher
- HarperTeen
- Published
- 2015
- Type
- Fiction