Tough-O-Meter

We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)

(2) Sea Level

The Goose Girl is retold from a fairy tale. You know, the kind you used to hear as bedtime stories as a kid—so the plot isn't all that tough for us to understand. Once you get the hang of the names, the rest is so accessible that the pages practically turn themselves.

In case this seems like it's too easy to be interesting, though, worry not. At the heart of this book are some of the big questions, the deep and meaningful kind that involve serious soul searching. And by keeping the language and plot pretty straightforward, we're freed up to really ponder these questions along with our teenage protagonist.