The story of us
Deb Caletti
The story of us
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Deb Caletti
The text is written at a 7th 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
Here's a secret: Cricket thought stepping back from her boyfriend would make everything clearer, but instead, her world starts to swirl with surprises. Love, family, and a big wedding mix up her plans—but that's only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores themes of love, family change, and self-discovery through the story of Cricket, a young girl navigating her feelings during a challenging week. Suitable for ages 9-12, it thoughtfully addresses relationships and the complexities of blended families with sensitivity and warmth.
Why we rated The story of us 12LE
The story of us is written at a Level 7 reading level across 389 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The story of us works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate The story of us as 12LE ("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 story of us explores love, family, coming of age, juvenile fiction, and dogs — 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 love, family, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers whose emotional readiness lags behind their decoding skills — this book's intensity outruns its reading level, a classic "gifted kid" mismatch.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LE — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781442423473
- Pages
- 389
- Publisher
- Simon and Schuster
- Published
- 2013
- Type
- Fiction