Year to the Day
Robin Benway
Year to the Day
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Robin Benway
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
The sharp scent of rain-soaked pavement fills the air as Leo stands alone, trying to piece together a night she can't fully remember. Her sister Nina is gone, and the silence that follows feels heavier than any storm. What really happened that night, and can Leo find a way to heal when the truth is still hidden?
Themes
Quick Assessment
This young adult novel explores themes of grief, loss, and sibling bonds through the story of Leo, who struggles to remember the night her sister Nina died in a drunk driving accident. Told in reverse chronological order, the book sensitively portrays the emotional journey of mourning and the complexities of friendship formed in shared sorrow. Suitable for teens, it handles mature themes thoughtfully without graphic content, making it appropriate for ages 13 and up.
Why we rated Year to the Day 12IE
Year to the Day is written at a Level 7 reading level across 352 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Year to the Day works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Year to the Day as 12IE ("Intense — 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, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, Year to the Day explores grief, family, friendship, young adult fiction, and sibling relationships — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about grief, 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.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12IE — Intense — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780062854445
- Pages
- 352
- Publisher
- HarperTeen
- Published
- 2023
- Type
- Fiction