This is our youth
Kenneth Lonergan
This is our youth
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Kenneth Lonergan
The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), 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
The city hums with the buzz of late-night streets and the clinking of glasses in a crowded apartment. Warren stands at a crossroads, feeling the weight of choices pressing in from every direction. Can he find a path that leads away from trouble and toward something better?
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set in New York's Upper West Side, this middle-grade novel explores the lives and challenges of affluent youth navigating friendship, identity, and risky decisions. Suitable for ages 9-12, it offers a realistic portrayal of city life and the pressures faced by young people, with themes of self-discovery and personal growth. Parents should note the presence of dramatic tension related to potential poor choices and social dynamics.
Why we rated This is our youth 9LE
This is our youth is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 128 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, This is our youth works for readers up to grade 6.5.
We rate This is our youth 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, This is our youth explores friendship, coming of age, family, city and town life, and drama — 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, coming of age, family.
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
Youth in cities
Marta Tienda, William Julius Wilson
Youth in cities
Marta Tienda, William Julius Wilson
Theatre for Youth
Coleman A. Jennings
Theatre for Youth
Coleman A. Jennings
Youth, Community and the Struggle for Social Justice
Tim Goddard
Youth, Community and the Struggle for Social Justice
Tim Goddard
Youth and leisure
Roberts, Kenneth
Youth and leisure
Roberts, Kenneth
Teenagers themselves
Glenbard East Echo School Newspaper
Teenagers themselves
Glenbard East Echo School Newspaper
Youth in society
Jeremy Roche, Stan Tucker
Youth in society
Jeremy Roche, Stan Tucker
Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 1585670189
- Pages
- 128
- Publisher
- Overlook Press
- Published
- 2000
- Type
- Fiction