Your Move
Eve Bunting
Your Move
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Eve Bunting
The text is written at a 2nd grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for younger children (ages 5–8), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
Here’s a secret: James thought joining the gang was the only way to belong. But when his little brother Isaac gets caught in the danger, everything changes — and that's only the beginning.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This story follows ten-year-old James as he faces the realities of gang life and the impact it has on his younger brother Isaac. Suitable for early readers ages 5-8, it gently explores themes of family, courage, and making positive choices in challenging environments. The book handles serious topics with sensitivity appropriate for young children.
Why we rated Your Move 7ME
Your Move is written at a Level 2 reading level across 32 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 3.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Your Move works for readers up to grade 4.0.
We rate Your Move as 7ME ("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, social complexity — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Gang Activity.
Thematically, Your Move explores family, african american & black, people & places, juvenile fiction, and courage — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 5-8 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, african american & black, people & places.
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
7ME — 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
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780152001810
- Pages
- 32
- Publisher
- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
- Published
- 1998
- Type
- Fiction