Dickens & Rumi

book

The Wave

Age rating, content warnings & parent guide

Todd Strasser · 1981

Is The Wave 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 Wave by Todd Strasser. This book is content notes include Frightening scenes, Violence, Death of a character; positive qualities include Educational value, Positive messages.

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10-second decision

Is this likely to fit your family?

Age guidanceNot listed
Strongest cautionsFrightening scenes 3/5 · Violence 2/5 · Death of a character 1/5
Strongest positivesEducational value 5/5 · Positive messages 5/5
Recommendation4.3/5

Educational value; strongest caution: frightening scenes.

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

Quick context

What parents should know

Educational value; strongest caution: frightening scenes.

Readiness snapshotMain watch-out: Frightening scenes 3/5
Recommendation 4.3/5

Editorial rating

How this review was built

Dickens & Rumi editorial
Source checkedPublication method
13Scored categories
13Evidence 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 depth13 scored categories13 evidence notes
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At a glance

Recommended ageNot listed

Strongest cautions

  • Frightening scenes3/5
  • Violence2/5
  • Death of a character1/5

Strongest positives

  • Educational value5/5
  • Positive messages5/5
  • Courage & resilience4/5

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What’s in it?

Products & advertising1/5
Why this rating?

Wave-branded items, banners, and armbands appear as symbols of group identity, not as commercial product promotion.

Death of a character1/5
Why this rating?

The novel centers on Nazi history and the Holocaust-era context, but the supplied plot does not indicate an on-page character death.

Strong language1/5
Why this rating?

Insults, labeling, and hostile language around social exclusion appear relevant, but strong profanity is not indicated.

Romance1/5
Why this rating?

Laurie and David are dating, but their relationship mainly provides a setting for conflict over The Wave rather than romantic plot.

Frightening scenes3/5
Why this rating?

The growing authoritarian movement, social exclusion, mass-rally atmosphere, and students' loss of independent judgment can be psychologically unsettling.

Violence2/5
Why this rating?

Physical violence is limited but meaningful: David shoves Laurie, while group intimidation, coercive recruitment, and bullying are recurring threats.

What’s good in it?

Courage & resilience4/5
Why this rating?

Laurie, David, and others show moral courage by questioning a popular movement, opposing peers, and confronting its charismatic adult leader.

Creativity & curiosity3/5
Why this rating?

The classroom simulation, student newspaper investigation, and plot's thought experiment can prompt critical thinking and imaginative engagement with history.

Diverse representation1/5
Why this rating?

Students differ in personality, popularity, achievement, and social status, but broad representation of human demographic diversity is not a major focus.

Educational value5/5
Why this rating?

Teaching the causes of Nazi conformity and authoritarianism is the explicit purpose of the classroom experiment and the novel's central subject.

Kindness & empathy2/5
Why this rating?

The Wave offers Robert belonging, but the group also produces bullying and exclusion. The story ultimately favors empathy and independent concern for others.

Positive messages5/5
Why this rating?

The central message strongly warns against conformity, obedience, propaganda, bullying, charismatic authority, and surrendering moral judgment to a group.

Good role models3/5
Why this rating?

Laurie and David ultimately resist the movement, while Ben's irresponsible experiment shows how even a teacher can misuse authority and become compromised.

Family discussion

Talk about it

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

  1. What is one new thing you learned or became curious about?
  2. Which moment felt most tense or frightening? What helped the characters handle fear?
  3. Which choice in The Wave would you have made differently, and why?
  4. Who changed the most in The Wave, and what caused that change?
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Community perspective — separate from editorial ratings

What families noticed

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