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You're no friend of mine

Emily Chase

Cover of You're no friend of mine

You're no friend of mine

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Emily Chase

Reading Level 4-5 9LE Ages 9-12 Balanced Read

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.

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About This Book

What happens when your two best friends start fighting right when you need them the most? Faith is caught in the middle as Dana and Shelley argue nonstop. Can their friendship survive the toughest test at Canby Hall?

Themes

FriendshipSchool storiesConduct of life

Quick Assessment

This middle-grade novel explores the complexities of friendship and conflict among school-aged children. It follows Faith as she navigates the challenges between her two friends, Dana and Shelley, while making important personal decisions. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story addresses themes of friendship and social dynamics in a school setting without intense content.

Why we rated You're no friend of mine 9LE

You're no friend of mine is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 172 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, You're no friend of mine works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate You're no friend of mine 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, You're no friend of mine explores friendship, school stories, and conduct of life — 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, school stories, conduct of life.

Maybe not for

  • ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

9LE — Light — Emotional
Emotional
Light
Physical
Clear
Social
Clear
Thematic
Clear

Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

1/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

1/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
4
Emotional Weight
4
Theme Richness
3
World Scope
1
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

172 pages
ISBN
9780590328890
Pages
172
Publisher
Scholastic
Published
1984
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

School StoriesConduct of LifeFriendshipGirls of Canby HallGirls