Twelve Days of Dash & Lily
Rachel Cohn
Twelve Days of Dash & Lily
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Rachel Cohn
The text is written at a 6th 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
Have you ever felt like the magic of the holidays just disappeared? Lily’s usually bright spirit has faded after her grandfather’s illness, and now her brother and Dash are teaming up to bring back the sparkle. But can they help Lily find the joy of Christmas in the busy streets of New York City before it’s too late?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade novel explores themes of family, love, and resilience during the holiday season. It follows Lily as she copes with her grandfather’s health challenges and the impact on her mood, while her brother and boyfriend work together to lift her spirits through festive adventures in New York City. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story contains gentle emotional moments and positive messages about friendship and hope.
Why we rated Twelve Days of Dash & Lily 11LE
Twelve Days of Dash & Lily is written at a Level 6 reading level across 240 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Twelve Days of Dash & Lily works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate Twelve Days of Dash & Lily as 11LE ("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, Twelve Days of Dash & Lily explores family, love, friendship, holidays, 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 family, love, friendship.
Maybe not for
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11LE — 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
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780399553837
- Pages
- 240
- Publisher
- Ember
- Published
- 2017
- Type
- Fiction