Know
before
they read.
Every other service rates books on one axis — age. We rate on two: reading level and content intensity. So a 7-year-old reading at a 5th-grade level doesn't have to read 5th-grade themes.
Age is one number.
Kids are not one number.
A fifth-grade reader with a second-grader's heart. A kindergartener reading chapter books. Every family already knows: one axis isn't enough. We built the one that is.
- Frog and Toad
- Charlotte's Web
- A Wrinkle in Time
- Percy Jackson
- Hunger Games
- Dog Man
A single rating
can't capture a book.
Two books rated "Grade 5 · Mild" are not the same book. One might have rich vocabulary and a gentle pace. The other: simple words, relentless tension. Book DNA shows you both.
What kids are reading
right now.
Every Wednesday, the New York Times publishes its children's bestseller lists. We layer our two-axis ratings on top — so you can see, at a glance, which titles match your reader before you spend.
Week of October 17, 2026
Auggie Pullman looks different from everyone else, but he's braver than you might think. He’s about to start middle school where kids stare and whisper, but Auggie’s kindness and courage shine brighter than any face.
Have you ever wondered what it feels like to create a delicious meal from scratch? Imagine a kitchen filled with the smells of fresh ingredients and the excitement of trying new recipes. What amazing dishes will you discover next?
Have you ever owned something so special it told a story all by itself? Imagine a little girl who wears a coat sewn from scraps, each patch holding a memory of love and family.
Jasper Rabbit is munching on his favorite Crackenhopper Field carrots when suddenly, he senses something strange. Are those carrots really following him? The shadows grow longer, and Jasper’s heart races—what’s going on in the carrot patch?
What if you had to fight for your life on live television, where every move could mean winning safety or losing everything? Imagine stepping into an arena where danger lurks at every turn, and the rules are made to be broken.
Ron's fingers leave ink smudges on the Daily Prophet's obituary pages, searching for names he knows, while Hogwarts feels stranger and quieter than ever.
Beatrice Prior has one plan for her choosing day: leave the quiet rules of Abnegation behind and jump into the daring world of Dauntless. Then a tragedy at the ceremony shatters that plan and drops her into an underground rebellion.
Can Lexie hold her family together while her mother is sick, in a small New England town where the hot springs hide more than steam?
What if your best friend transformed overnight into the most popular kid at school? Imagine Dani coming back to Minnesota, ready to reunite with her childhood crush, only to find her once-nerdy buddy has become a hockey star.
Autumn and Finn were once best friends, but now they barely speak. What if one moment could change everything between them? When they cross paths, it feels like a second chance—but will it come in time?
Start with a grade.
Refine by intensity.
For when you don't
know where to begin.
1001 Children's Books
Classics, picture books, and YA from the bestselling guide.
516 titlesThe Sweet Spot
Advanced reading level, gentle content. For readers ahead of their age.
751 titlesGentle Books, All Ages
No conflict beyond everyday life. Safe for the most sensitive readers.
6,501 titlesBest Nonfiction for Kids
Top nonfiction across grades. Science, history, biography, more.
4,024 titlesNotes from the
reading trenches.
When a Book Purchase Circles Back to a Classroom
HootRated is free for teachers, ad-free for kids, and funded by book purchases — a small share of which goes back to local public schools. Here's how the circle works, and why we built it this way.
Read the guide →How Teachers Can Get Families Reading at Home (Without the Guilt Trip)
The home reading environment is one of the biggest levers on a child's literacy — and the usual homework-style asks quietly work against it. Here's the evidence on what to ask families to do, and what to stop asking.
Read the guide →How to Get a Whole Class Reading: The Evidence-Based Playbook
Points, prizes, and reading logs feel productive and quietly kill the thing they're meant to grow. Here's what the research actually shows about motivating a classroom of readers — and how to build a book collection that fits every kid.
Read the guide →After they read,
let them listen.
HootPODS turns any topic, article, or interest into a personalized audio story — narrated in engaging voices, screen-free, made just for your kid.
The right book.
The right time.
Search 219,142 books rated on both axes — or tell us about your reader and we'll make the first picks for you.