The price of friendship
Anne E. Schraff
The price of friendship
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Anne E. Schraff
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
What would you do if chasing your biggest dream meant risking the friendships you hold closest? Kirk Howell faces the tough choice between loyalty to the people he loves like brothers and his own future as an engineer. Can he find a way to have it all, or will something have to give?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Kirk Howell, a young boy determined to attend college and become an engineer while navigating the challenges of maintaining close friendships. Suitable for ages 9-12, it explores themes of ambition and loyalty with accessible language for developing readers. Parents should be aware that it addresses the emotional complexity of balancing personal goals and relationships.
Why we rated The price of friendship 9LE
The price of friendship is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 139 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The price of friendship works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The price of friendship as 9LE ("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 price of friendship weaves together ambition and friendship.
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 ambition, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
9LE — Light — EmotionalLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0789153750
- Pages
- 139
- Publisher
- Perfection Learning
- Published
- 2001
- Type
- Fiction