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
Make no bones about it: Alligator Bayou is an easy read. The language is generally kept simple, though there are a few words and phrases that are either Italian or old time slangy. The story's structure is also straightforward—no leaping all over times and places or anything fancy like that. To top it all off, there are only a handful of characters who are important, which makes keeping track of all the key players pretty easy. And though the book is based in a different time, Napoli describes things so well that it's easy for us to immerse ourselves in this different era.