This Is Me Trying
Racquel Marie
This Is Me Trying
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Racquel Marie
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 intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.
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About This Book
Have you ever lost someone so important that it feels like your whole world changes? Beatriz thought she could handle it alone, but when Santiago comes back, everything she built to protect herself starts to shake. Can they find a way to heal, or will the past pull them apart forever?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel sensitively explores themes of grief, mental health, and friendship through the story of Beatriz, Santiago, and the loss of their friend Bryce to suicide. It addresses difficult topics such as guilt, forgiveness, and healing in a way appropriate for ages 9-12, with emotional depth and realistic portrayals. Parents should be aware of the book's focus on mental illness and suicide, which may prompt important conversations.
Why we rated This Is Me Trying 12IE
This Is Me Trying is written at a Level 7 reading level across 368 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, This Is Me Trying works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate This Is Me Trying as 12IE ("Intense — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Suicide, Mental Illness.
Thematically, This Is Me Trying explores friendship, grief & loss, mental health, forgiveness, and coming of age — 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 friendship, grief & loss, mental health.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 9-12 — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12IE — Intense — EmotionalHeavy themes explored in depth. War, death, abuse addressed directly.
Content Flags
Was our "Intense" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781250891389
- Pages
- 368
- Publisher
- Feiwel & Friends
- Published
- 2024
- Type
- Fiction