The pages between us

Name: The pages between us
Author: Lindsey Leavitt
ISBN: 9780062377715

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Lindsey Leavitt

Reading Level 3-4 C · Gentle Ages 5-8 Balanced Read

The text is written at a 3rd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content is gentle with no concerning themes. Its HootRating code, C, means gentle content.

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About This Book

Friendship can survive anything—even a tricky middle school schedule! Piper and Olivia use a secret sparkly notebook to stay connected, but as their adventures grow, so do the challenges. What happens when sticking together feels more complicated than ever?

Themes

Friendship Coming of AgeMiddle SchoolsFamily Humor

Quick Assessment

Best friends Piper and Olivia find their new middle school schedules keep them apart, so they start a shared notebook disguised as French homework to stay connected. Told through letters, posters, blog posts, and assignments, the story gently explores how friends can branch out and grow up without drifting apart, with light emotional moments about new routines, pressure to fit in, and changing friendships. Content is mild and upbeat, making it a warm, low-intensity choice for families looking for a lighthearted story about friendship.

Why we rated The pages between us C (Gentle)

The pages between us is written at a Level 3-4 reading level across 268 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 5 and up can manage The pages between us on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.

We rate The pages between us as C (Gentle) because the content sits in the "Gentle" range — no conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly gentle; no single dimension stands out as a concern.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the gentle intensity score.

Thematically, The pages between us explores friendship, coming of age, middle schools, family, and humor — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about friendship, coming of age, middle schools.

Maybe not for

! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.

For Parents

Content Intensity

C · Gentle

Emotional

Gentle

Physical

Gentle

Social

Gentle

Thematic

Gentle

Reading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate

No conflict beyond everyday childhood experiences. Safe for sensitive readers.

Data confidence: high

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