The wanting of Levine
Michael Halberstam
The wanting of Levine
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Michael Halberstam
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: Levine never planned to be in the spotlight, but suddenly he's the top candidate for president! Behind the scenes, he's juggling deals and politics in ways you won't expect—but that's only the beginning.
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction novel follows Levine, a salesman and political operative who unexpectedly becomes a leading candidate in a fictional 1988 U.S. presidential election. It explores themes of politics and ambition with humor and intrigue, suitable for readers aged 9-12. Parents should note the political context and some complex vocabulary appropriate for middle-grade readers.
Why we rated The wanting of Levine 12LS
The wanting of Levine is written at a Level 7 reading level across 335 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The wanting of Levine works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate The wanting of Levine as 12LS ("Light — Social") 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 wanting of Levine explores adventure, humor, and political fiction — 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.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, humor, political fiction.
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.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12LS — Light — SocialLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A 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
- 9780397010936
- Pages
- 335
- Publisher
- Lippincott
- Published
- 1978
- Type
- Fiction