This is not a test
Courtney Summers
This is not a test
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Courtney Summers
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
The sharp scrape of broken glass and distant groans fill the air, trapping Sloane and five other teens inside a high school under siege. Dust and fear cling to every corner as the zombies press closer, but the real danger might be the secrets and tensions brewing among them. When survival feels impossible, who can you really trust?
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel follows Sloane Price and five other teenagers barricaded inside their high school during a zombie apocalypse. As the external threat grows, internal conflicts and emotional struggles surface, highlighting themes of survival and complex family issues. Suitable for ages 9-12, the book contains moderate intensity related to fear, violence, and emotional tension.
Why we rated This is not a test 12ME
This is not a test is written at a Level 7 reading level across 337 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, This is not a test works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate This is not a test as 12ME ("Moderate — 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, physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Mild Peril, Fantasy Violence, Fear & Anxiety, Family Change.
Thematically, This is not a test explores survival, family, friendship, adventure, and fantasy world-building — 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.
- ✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about survival, family, 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 who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12ME — Moderate — 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
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
4/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780312656744
- Pages
- 337
- Publisher
- Macmillan
- Published
- 2012
- Type
- Fiction