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)
(1) Sea Level
We can relate to most of Leigh's challenges, like problems with our parents, wanting a friend, or feeling angry and sad. It helps that Leigh spells things out for us: he tells us how he's feeling and why, and takes us through the process with him. It also helps that Cleary's writing and vocab are pretty straightforward. There are a few references to obsolete things like mimeographs, but not enough to trip us up.