Word of Mouth
Emani Sawyer
Word of Mouth
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Emani Sawyer
The text is written at a 5th 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
What if every time you spoke, your words came to life in the most unexpected ways? Diana Monroe just wanted to fit in at her new middle school, but her mysterious gift makes everything she says happen—sometimes with tricky consequences. Can she learn to control her power before it changes her world forever?
Quick Assessment
Word of Mouth follows Diana Monroe, a middle schooler struggling to control a unique gift where her spoken words manifest in reality. The story explores themes of self-discovery, bullying, and emotional regulation, appropriate for readers ages 9-12. Parents should note the depiction of bullying and emotional challenges, handled thoughtfully to encourage conversations about responsibility and empathy.
Why we rated Word of Mouth 10ME
Word of Mouth is written at a Level 5 reading level. Strong independent readers around grade 6.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Word of Mouth works for readers up to grade 7.0.
We rate Word of Mouth as 10ME ("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 — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Bullying, Emotional Challenges.
Thematically, Word of Mouth explores friendship, coming of age, family, and fantasy world-building — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers. Each of these themes is concrete enough to seed a real conversation, not just a moral lesson.
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 friendship, coming of age, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
10ME — 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
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
5/10Good conversation starter with themes worth exploring together.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
- ISBN
- 9781737501244
- Publisher
- Every Word Literary Company
- Published
- 2021
- Type
- Fiction