The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle
Leslie Connor
The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Leslie Connor
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Mason’s heart pounds as he races through the orchard, sweat dripping down his face. The whispers about Benny's death still haunt him, and now Calvin has disappeared too. Can Mason uncover the truth before it’s too late?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores themes of grief, learning disabilities, and bullying through the eyes of Mason Buttle, a boy struggling to be heard after his best friend's mysterious death. Suitable for ages 9-12, it sensitively addresses difficult topics such as animal abuse and death, providing a thoughtful look at resilience and friendship. Parents should note the emotional weight and mature themes presented in the story.
Why we rated The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle 12IE
The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle is written at a Level 7 reading level across 336 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle as 12IE ("Intense — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Animal Abuse, Death.
Thematically, The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle explores disability representation, bullying, friendship, family, and social justice — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about disability representation, bullying, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12IE — Intense — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Content Flags
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780062491435
- Pages
- 336
- Publisher
- Katherine Tegen Books
- Published
- 2018
- Type
- Fiction