A web of air
Philip Reeve
A web of air
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Philip Reeve
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
The sharp clang of metal fills the air as Fever Crumb steps into Mayda, a city clinging to cliffs with gleaming rails and soaring towers. The salty breeze carries secrets of a mysterious machine that might just change the skies forever. But danger lurks close, and every step forward pulls Fever deeper into a thrilling battle of invention and survival.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Set two years after Fever Crumb fled a war-torn London, this science fiction novel follows her arrival in the unique city of Mayda, where she becomes involved with a recluse building a flying machine. The story explores themes of engineering, courage, and conflict, suitable for readers aged 13 to 18. Parents should note the presence of peril and antagonistic threats as part of the adventure.
Why we rated A web of air 11ME
A web of air is written at a Level 6 reading level across 281 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, A web of air works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate A web of air as 11ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, A web of air explores science & nature, adventure, coming of age, and young adult fiction — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about science & nature, adventure, coming of age.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
2/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781407115177
- Pages
- 281
- Publisher
- Scholastic
- Published
- 2010
- Type
- Fiction