The new normal
Ashley Little
The new normal
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Ashley Little
The text is written at a 6th 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 everything you love suddenly disappeared? Tamar has lost her sisters in a car crash, and her family feels like it's falling apart. Now, as she starts losing her hair, she must find a way to hold on before everything slips away.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction explores the profound impact of loss and grief through the eyes of Tamar, who copes with the death of her sisters and the emotional strain on her family. Suitable for ages 9-12, it sensitively addresses themes of bereavement and mental health, portraying a young girl's struggle to find stability amid trauma.
Why we rated The new normal 11IE
The new normal is written at a Level 6 reading level across 222 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The new normal works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The new normal as 11IE ("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 new normal explores death, bereavement, family, teenage girls, and sisters — 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 death, bereavement, family.
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
11IE — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781459800748
- Pages
- 222
- Publisher
- Orca Book Publishers
- Published
- 2013
- Type
- Fiction