The Way We Roll
Scot Gardner
The Way We Roll
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Scot Gardner
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.
We may earn a commission from these links. Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores with every purchase.
About This Book
What happens when two very different boys—one running from his family’s secrets, the other from his noisy neighbor—cross paths while pushing trolleys? They discover a wild group causing trouble in the carpark, and suddenly their worlds collide. But will standing up to danger bring them closer, or tear them apart?
Themes
Quick Assessment
The Way We Roll follows two teenage boys from contrasting backgrounds who form an unlikely friendship while facing challenges together. The novel explores themes of family secrets, loyalty, and personal growth, appropriate for readers aged 13 and up. It contains some depictions of juvenile delinquency and mild peril but handles them with a focus on friendship and resilience.
Why we rated The Way We Roll 9LE
The Way We Roll is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 197 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Way We Roll works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate The Way We Roll 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 Way We Roll explores friendship, family, coming of age, juvenile delinquency, and young adult fiction — 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 friendship, family, coming of age.
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
Similar Books
Based on content and theme analysis
The way we roll
Stephanie Perry Moore
The way we roll
Stephanie Perry Moore
Rollin
Capstone Press
Rollin
Capstone Press
Rolling On
Jamie Sumner
Rolling On
Jamie Sumner
Overdrive
Eric Walters
Overdrive
Eric Walters
Rolling
Matt Novak
Rolling
Matt Novak
Run if you dare
Randy Powell
Run if you dare
Randy Powell
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781760290399
- Pages
- 197
- Publisher
- Allen & Unwin
- Published
- 2016
- Type
- Fiction