The Way We Were...the Way We Can Be
Maeve Haran
The Way We Were...the Way We Can Be
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Maeve Haran
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
What happens when you fall for someone who surprises everyone, even yourself? Rachel is an A-grade student who finds her world flipped upside down by Marko, a boy who's nothing like the others. Can she follow her heart, or will expectations hold her back?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction explores themes of love, personal growth, and challenging societal expectations through the intertwined stories of Rachel, her mother Catherine, and grandmother Lavinia. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book touches on family dynamics and self-discovery without explicit content, making it appropriate for young readers navigating similar feelings.
Why we rated The Way We Were...the Way We Can Be 12LS
The Way We Were...the Way We Can Be is written at a Level 7 reading level across 353 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Way We Were...the Way We Can Be works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate The Way We Were...the Way We Can Be 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.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Romantic Content.
Thematically, The Way We Were...the Way We Can Be explores family, coming of age, romance, and personal growth — 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 family, coming of age, romance.
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
12LS — Light — SocialLight conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Content Flags
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
- 9789992865309
- Pages
- 353
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Published
- June 1993
- Type
- Fiction