Dickens & Rumi

book

The dime

Age rating, content warnings & parent guide

Kathleen Kent · 2017

Is The dime appropriate for your child? See the reviewed age guidance, content cautions, positive themes, and supporting evidence below.

Explore the age guidance, content cautions, positive qualities, and supporting notes for The dime by Kathleen Kent. This book is content notes include Alcohol or drugs, Death of a character, Frightening scenes; positive qualities include Courage & resilience, Positive messages.

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10-second decision

Is this likely to fit your family?

Age guidanceNot listed
Strongest cautionsAlcohol or drugs 4/5 · Death of a character 4/5 · Frightening scenes 4/5
Strongest positivesCourage & resilience 4/5 · Positive messages 4/5
Recommendation3.5/5

Courage & resilience; strongest caution: alcohol or drugs.

This is the quick scan. Open the evidence and methodology below for the basis behind each rating.

Quick context

What parents should know

Courage & resilience; strongest caution: alcohol or drugs.

Readiness snapshotMain watch-out: Alcohol or drugs 4/5
Recommendation 3.5/5

Editorial rating

How this review was built

Dickens & Rumi editorial
Source checkedPublication method
17Scored categories
17Evidence notes
0Explicit 0/5 checks
Oct 24, 2026Last updated

Dickens & Rumi describes what is present; families decide what matters to them. Community reactions are kept separate from official content ratings.

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Review depth17 scored categories17 evidence notes
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At a glance

Recommended ageNot listed

Strongest cautions

  • Alcohol or drugs4/5
  • Death of a character4/5
  • Frightening scenes4/5

Strongest positives

  • Courage & resilience4/5
  • Positive messages4/5
  • Diverse representation3/5

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What’s in it?

Death of a character4/5
Why this rating?

Deaths and lethal threats are important to the criminal plot and are handled as serious, traumatic events.

Graphic injury3/5
Why this rating?

Injuries and violent crime can be described with disturbing detail, though gore is not the primary focus throughout.

Strong language4/5
Why this rating?

Strong adult language, insults, and profane criminal and police dialogue are likely recurring features.

LGBTQIA characters4/5
Why this rating?

The protagonist is a lesbian woman, and her identity and relationship experiences are meaningful parts of the novel.

Religious themes1/5
Why this rating?

Religious references may occur in the characters' cultural background, but faith is not a central focus.

Romance2/5
Why this rating?

Adult romantic and relationship elements are present but secondary to the detective work and crime plot.

Frightening scenes4/5
Why this rating?

A tense crime thriller with stalking, intimidation, dangerous criminals, investigations, and sustained danger to characters.

Sexual content & nudity3/5
Why this rating?

Some adult sexual content and references occur; it is not the central subject but is unsuitable for young readers.

Alcohol or drugs4/5
Why this rating?

Drug trafficking and illegal drugs are central to the crime story; substance use and its harms are part of the adult setting.

Violence4/5
Why this rating?

Frequent, sometimes intense violence involving police, criminals, shootings, assaults, torture, and threats; violence has serious consequences.

What’s good in it?

Courage & resilience4/5
Why this rating?

The detective repeatedly faces serious danger and personal trauma while pursuing justice and protecting others.

Creativity & curiosity2/5
Why this rating?

The investigation involves problem-solving and strategic thinking, but imaginative creativity is not a major theme.

Diverse representation3/5
Why this rating?

It centers a lesbian protagonist and includes varied urban and professional perspectives, though representation is not the sole focus.

Educational value1/5
Why this rating?

It may offer incidental insight into policing, organized crime, and trauma, but teaching is not its purpose.

Kindness & empathy2/5
Why this rating?

Care and loyalty appear amid strong bonds, but the narrative is dominated by danger, conflict, and criminal behavior.

Positive messages4/5
Why this rating?

The story emphasizes loyalty, justice, resilience, confronting abuse, and the personal costs of violence and corruption.

Good role models3/5
Why this rating?

The protagonist shows persistence and professional courage, while the morally compromised crime world provides clear negative examples.

Family discussion

Talk about it

Conversation starters based on this title’s published content notes.

  1. What did courage look like in this story? Was being brave always the same as being fearless?
  2. How were alcohol or drugs portrayed, and what consequences did the story show?
  3. Which choice in The dime would you have made differently, and why?
  4. Who changed the most in The dime, and what caused that change?
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Community perspective — separate from editorial ratings

What families noticed

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