The lions of Little Rock

Kristin Levine

Cover of The lions of Little Rock

The lions of Little Rock

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Kristin Levine

Reading Level 4-5 Moderate (Lvl 3) Ages 9-12 Matched

The text is written at a 4th 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

Set in 1958 Little Rock, a quiet girl named Marlee watches her world change as schools begin to integrate. When Liz, a new classmate, becomes her friend, Marlee discovers courage and learns to stand up against the unfairness around her. Together, they navigate challenges that test their friendship and beliefs.

Themes

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 4-5 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include racial discrimination, fear & anxiety. Written for readers ages 9-12.

For Parents

Content Intensity

Level 3 — Moderate
Gentle Mild Moderate Intense Very Intense

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.

Content Flags

Racial Discrimination Fear & Anxiety
Data confidence: high

Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

2/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

5/10

Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
3
Emotional Weight
6
Narrative Pace
5
Theme Richness
6
World Scope
7
Data Confidence
8

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Details

Book Length

298 pages
70,793 words
7h 52m read-aloud
ISBN
9780399256448
Pages
298
Publisher
Putnam Publishing Group
Published
2012
Type
Fiction
Word Count
70,793
Lexile
630L
Read-Aloud
~7h 52m
Text Density
Standard

Genres

Subjects

Race RelationsMiddle SchoolsFriendshipFamily LifeSchool IntegrationSchoolsBashfulnessAfrican AmericansArkansas

Places

ArkansasLittle Rock (Ark.)