What reading level is The ruby notebook?

The ruby notebook by Laura Resau is at a Level 4-5 reading level (Lexile 750L). Recommended for Middle Grades readers (Ages 9-12).

What age is The ruby notebook appropriate for?

The ruby notebook is recommended for Ages 9-12. HootRating: 9LE (Light — Emotional).

What genre is The ruby notebook?

The ruby notebook is fiction — Juvenile Fiction.

Does The ruby notebook have any content warnings?

The ruby notebook has a HootRating of 9LE (Light — Emotional). No specific content flags noted. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is The ruby notebook?

The ruby notebook by Laura Resau is 373 pages.

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated July 16, 2026

The ruby notebook

Laura Resau

The ruby notebook

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Laura Resau

Reading Level 4-5 9LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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

Imagine a secret admirer leaving mysterious gifts just for you in a charming French town. Sixteen-year-old Zeeta must unravel who it is while facing changes in her own heart. But that's only the beginning.

Themes

SecretsInterpersonal relationsMothers and daughtersSingle-parent familiesMulticultural Coming of Age

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade novel follows sixteen-year-old Zeeta as she moves with her mother to Aix-en-Provence, France, and navigates new relationships and secrets. The story explores themes of family dynamics, young love, and cultural experiences suitable for ages 9-12. Parents should note the book handles interpersonal relationships and identity in an age-appropriate manner.

Why we rated The ruby notebook 9LE

The ruby notebook is written at a Level 4-5 reading level with a Lexile measure of 750L across 373 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The ruby notebook works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate The ruby notebook 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 ruby notebook explores secrets, interpersonal relations, mothers and daughters, single-parent families, and multicultural — 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 secrets, interpersonal relations, mothers and daughters.