The Truth About Me and Bobby V.
Janetta Johns
The Truth About Me and Bobby V.
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Janetta Johns
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material.
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About This Book
What if you told a little lie to fit in at a new school, but then your story got out of control? Candy Davis moves to a new town and invents a boyfriend to make friends, but now everyone wants to meet him. How long can she keep up the pretend before the truth comes crashing down?
Quick Assessment
This young adult novel follows Candy Davis as she navigates the challenges of fitting in at a predominantly white school after moving to a new town. To impress her peers, she fabricates a boyfriend, leading to complications that explore themes of honesty, identity, and self-acceptance. Suitable for ages 13 to 18, the book gently addresses social pressures without intense content.
Why we rated The Truth About Me and Bobby V. 9LE
The Truth About Me and Bobby V. is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 180 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Truth About Me and Bobby V. works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The Truth About Me and Bobby V. 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 Truth About Me and Bobby V. explores coming of age, family, friendship, and identity & self-discovery — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about coming of age, family, 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780553248388
- Pages
- 180
- Publisher
- Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group
- Published
- November 1984
- Type
- Fiction